


Candle in the Wind

by TheDarkLightWithin



Category: The Walking Dead (Comics), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-07 03:37:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 46,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14072052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkLightWithin/pseuds/TheDarkLightWithin
Summary: Without world order, without any government, how does one manage? What was once a world plagued by racism and terrorism, the new world is subjected to the living dead. The living must fight against the dead until the world is free. We are each other's priorities; we are our brother's keepers and ultimately, we are the rightful custodians of mother earth.





	1. Of Shared Blood

_**I do not own The Walking Dead, nor do I own the characters. I merely own my OC's. This story will be on Fanfiction.net and QuoteV under the same username; TheDarkLightWithin.** _  
 

 

 

_**________________** _

  
The thick Georgian heat was laying heavily throughout the small, old cabin that stood just on the outskirts of the just as old woods. Birds of different species had begun to chirp minutes prior, indicating that dusk was over and dawn was just beginning. Through the thin cotton curtains, the sun tried its best to shine beyond the trees and through the dusty glass windows.  
  
The two residents slept soundly beside one another. The first, Molly, a young woman with long dark hair that lay at rather odd angles on the pillow beneath her head. Her eyes, though closed, were of a sterling grey nature with white specks that gave of a crystallised effect. The second, Rory. A young boy, no older than three, with messy chestnut brown hair and the same crystallised eyes he had inherited from his mother. Though the day was just beginning, it was about to be a day unlike any before it.  
  
The outdated alarm clock that sat on the bedside table began to wail. The repeating ring rose to a peak before it dulled only to rise to a peak once more and repeating the pattern. It continued to ring long after Molly's outstretched hand began to shuffle around the table, trying to locate the alarm in order to shut it off. After many failed attempts, her hand finely made contact with the button that sat on top of the clock. In seconds, the ringing died down, leaving the room in silence once more.  
  
Cracking an eye open, Molly forced her eye to get used to the light as she brought her arm back to her side once more. A quiet groan escaped her mouth as she looked towards the tiny body that lay soundly asleep beside her. Though she tried to be annoyed, she couldn't help but grin tiredly as she brushed a few strands of hair from the boy's forehead. With a deep sigh, Molly pushed herself into a sitting position where she began to rub at her eyes and pull her own hair from her face. With a final glance behind her, Molly stood from the bed and made her way towards the small dresser that lay beside the door. She pulled the first drawer open and shuffled through the clothes before she found the outfit she was looking for. After closing the drawer and checking if Rory was still asleep, Molly moved towards the door and pulled it open before sliding out of the room and leaving it ajar.   
  
Opposite her room was Rory's room that was barely used during the night. The two rooms lay tucked away in a corner of the cabin. The only other rooms within the small wooden structure the two called home were the bathroom and a living room that held an open kitchen plan. There was hardly anything within the cabin Molly was proud of. Many of the once neatly wallpapered walls had missing strips, leaving the damp wooden walls behind to be the focus of attention. Molly had decided that once she had saved up enough money again, she would tackle the issue of the walls.   
  
Saving for months on end was the only way Molly could make any changes within her home. She worked two jobs in order to put food in her sons mouth and pay for their basic daily needs. However, once everything she had to pay for was done, it left her with very little money to achieve the things she so desperately needed done. Since having Rory, the only thing she had accomplished within the cabin was laying down a new carpet. Her main priority was keeping him safe and healthy which was one of the main reasons she had decided on replacing the flooring in the first place.   
  
Molly made her way into the bathroom in order to change and make herself look somewhat presentable for the long day ahead. It was a Saturday which meant she would be working at the dinner for most of the day. However, due to it being a weekend, she would have to drag Rory along too as the older woman who kindly offered to watch him during the weekdays, was out of town on the weekend.   
  
Almost as soon as she had changed and completed her morning routine, three tiny knocks erupted on the bathroom door. Molly checked her appearance in the shattered mirror on her way past as she pulled the door open and smiled softly at her son. "Good morning, Hun." Rory merely grinned tiredly up at his mother as he rubbed a tiny balled fist over his eye and muttered a good morning in reply. The next ten minutes of the pairs morning were spent making breakfast and eating it. The making part being performed by Molly while the eating was done by Rory. Together, the pair sat in a comfortable silence as Rory grinned up at his mother every so often while Molly watched fondly as she waited for him to finish in order for the two to leave.   
  
Once she was satisfied with the amount of food he had eaten, Molly nodded to show Rory that he could leave the rusty table and find his shoes and his coat. Rather than wasting the time she didn't have washing his bowl up, Molly left it in the sink, making a mental note to clean it later that night.  
  
"Ma, we takin' the car, yeah?" Rory called out as he shuffled from foot to foot beside the front door. Molly snorted slightly as she nodded and made her way towards him.   
  
To say it was a car would be a lie. She had given up on telling him that the car was in fact a truck and that it wasn't brand new. Molly often wondered what the old, barely working truck looked like in his eyes. All she saw was a rusty piece of junk that she relied on a little too much to get her from work to home again.   
  
Though the day had started of the same as any old Saturday, as soon as Molly had opened the door, everything went downhill. Her hand slipped over Rory's eyes as the little boy fought in order to rid himself of his mother's hand while Molly's eyes widened and her mouth fell ajar. Her once semi blue truck had now been sprayed red along with the dirt on the ground and some of the nearby trees.   
  
Muttering for Rory to go and play in his room, she shut the door closed and flipped the lock over before making her way towards the window and trying to get a good look outside without it being obvious to whoever had done the damage, she was peeking. Though it took her a good few minutes to realize just what the substance was, Molly found it difficult believing it was actually blood.  
  
Not only were the nearest neighbours a good mile away, but in all the time she had lived at the cabin, she had never seen another living person anywhere near the home. However, just as she was about to give up and blame it on a blind deer, her breathing came to a stop as a gasp got stuck in her throat. A woman just beyond the treeline came staggering out into the open looking like she had taken a bath in blood.   
  
Molly ducked lower as her eyes became the only thing that could possibly be seen in the window. She observed the woman for a few minutes, wondering just what was wrong or if she could possibly be faking it in order to gain entry to the cabin and ultimately, try to steal anything she thought to be of value. Molly's brow raised as a snort left her mouth when the woman stumbled into the rear end of her truck and fell on her ass. "Crazy bitch."   
  
"Who's that?" Molly jumped as she whipped her head around to see Rory stood behind her, a broken toy in his hand while he tried to look around her.   
  
"No one, Bud." She replied, risking one last glance at the woman who was struggling to get to her feet. "Mummy needs to call in to work, okay? I want you to stay away from the windows and the door, can you do that?" Rory nodded, indicating he understood what was being asked of him.   
  
Grabbing her phone from her pocket, Molly made her way towards the kitchen in order to put some distance between herself and Rory. She didn't want to panic the boy in any way and opted for letting him play on the floor. Dialling the all too familiar number onto the keypad of her phone, she pressed call before bringing the phone up to her ear and leaning against the kitchen counter. It rang repeatedly and relentlessly for a few moments until a monotone voice answered declaring that the receiver wasn't able to take the call at that moment. With a small frown, she pulled the phone away from her ear before cancelling the call and opting for the three-digit number that would put her through to emergency services.   
  
The call was answered just after the second ring. However, instead of an actual person, a pre-recorded tape began to place out. " _Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, we are unable to direct your call at this time. We urge each and every citizen who has not been in contact with the infected to stay indoors and away from anyone you think may have the virus. It is protocol that we inform you of a safe zone that is up and running in Atlanta. The government and military have given the advice, should it be needed, that citizens should seek out the larger cities for protect-_ "   
  
Molly cut the call as soon as she had heard what was being said. Putting it down to a hoax, she rolled her eyes as she made her way towards Rory who was laying on his front in the middle of the floor, an open picture book in front of him. "Hey, Bud... We've got the whole day to ourselves!" Rory gasped as he grinned up at his mother, leaning on his side slightly as she opened his mouth. "Really?"   
  
"Really." Molly nodded, grabbing the book and closing it while she helped him to sit up. "Anything in particular you'd like to do?" He didn't get to think of a reply before a chorus of loud, sloppy knocks erupted on the door. It wasn't until Molly was half-way to the door that she listened to the knocks that had not stopped. To her, it could easily be mistaken as banging.   
  
As Rory watched curiously as his mother paced her way towards the door, a loud groan filled the air around them. Molly froze instantly, trying not to make a sound as he eyes widened and her heart began to beat uncontrollably. Though she didn't want to admit it, things were beginning to look and sound as though it wasn't a hoax. Forcing one foot in front of the other, she continued on until she was in front of the door once more.   
  
With a slight bend of her knees, Molly closed one eye and looked through the small, fish-eyed lense that she rarely used. Another gasp was caught in her throat as she noticed the woman who had bumped into her truck at her door. Only this time, she could see every detail her face had to offer.   
  
Her skin was a pale white shade which was certainly uncommon. What with the sun and the heat it gave off, Molly couldn't remember the last time she had seen someone looking so pale. The woman's eyes were bloodshot and cloudy, looking as though she was high on some type of illegal drug. However, as Molly looked beyond all the dirt and blood she was caked in, she could see a part of the woman's shoulder missing. Almost like something had taken a chunk out of it.   
Before Molly could spend any more time observing her, the woman seemed to have had enough of her banging and growled slightly before she turned away and began shuffling off. Molly watched her leave and though she tried not to, couldn't help but snort as the woman fell off the porch and into the bushes that hadn't been trimmed in months.  
  
"Rory..." Molly whispered, turning to face him and trying to keep the slight panic from showing on her face. "We're going on holiday."   
  
"What?" He gasped, his voice just as quiet. "Really?"   
  
"Yeah... So, I need you to go to your room and pull your bag from beneath your bed, you know the one I'm talking about, right?" Molly waited as Rory began to think it over, his brows furrowing her they shot up and he nodded frantically. "I want you to put some clothes into it. Probably just chuck it all in, no need to fold it or anything."  
  
"Okay!" He gasped out, running off as fast as his little legs could take him while Molly followed after him, turning into her own room rather than his. She began to pack her own clothes, pulling her own bag from beneath her bed and following the instructions she had given her son moments prior.   
  
Despite the advice given to her by a pre-recorded voice, Molly wasn't one to sit around and wait. She lived a few miles from Atlanta and knew she could make it their before dark. If she stuck to the roads and avoided leaving the car, she was almost positive the two could make it without bumping into anyone who had been 'infected'.   
  
Once she had packed all the clothes she thought she'd need, Molly brought her bag to the kitchen before she began to pack a good few days worth of food. Despite the fact she'd be in a so called safe zone, she wasn't exactly sure on just how safe it would be. Opting for being over packed rather than under packed, Molly put her arms into the shelf and held her bag under it while shoving every type of canned food she had.   
  
Knowing that she had any and all camping gear she owned in the bed of her truck, Molly zipped the bag up and moved back to the living room, dropping it by the front door. She grabbed her coat and slid it on just as Rory came out of his room, trying to drag his bag behind him. With a small chuckle, Molly moved forward and grabbed the bag from him before picking her own up and pulling her keys from the inside of her pocket.  
  
Glancing out the window once more, she waited for a few minutes to insure no one was around. Molly glanced towards the bushes to see an indent of a body before she looked towards the road to see the woman shuffling down it, twigs and leaves sticking out her bushy hair from every angle.  
  
"We're going to go straight to the truck, okay?" Molly said, looking down at Rory with a raised brow. "No jumping in the mud this time, Bud."   
  
"Okay." Rory mumbled, looking upset at the thought of not being allowed to jump in the mud while his mother loaded the truck.    
  
As soon as the door was pulled open, fresh hair hit Molly like never before. She had always loved being in the open air rather than being confined to soak up the air that resided in her cabin. Molly grinned at the feeling of it as she motioned for Rory to exit first before she followed, pulling the door shut and locking it behind her. Rory himself knew something was wrong when instead of putting the bags into the truck first, his mother dropped them by the wheel and opened the passenger door for him to enter first.   
  
Molly helped him up and insured he was buckled into his car seat before checking that the child lock was on and closing the door. With a quick look around, she picked up the bags, dropped them into the bed of the truck and jogged around to the driver's side and entering the truck instantly.    
  
With a final deep sigh and a small grin at Rory, Molly pushed the key into the ignition and twisted, letting the old engine roar to life. In a matter of seconds, the two were on the road on their way towards Atlanta. Whether her decision to drive to the city rather than stay indoors had been the right one, Molly was about to find out.


	2. Chapter Two; New Faces

The roads to Atlanta were treacherous. On numerous occasions Molly had to swerve the truck in order to avoid any sort of collision. The amount of abandoned cars that sat in the middle of the roads didn’t help either. Despite the circumstances the two were subjected to, Molly was determined for Rory to stay as unobvious as one three-year-old could get. However, she knew just how easy it was for him to adjust and pick up on emotions much quicker than an adult possibly could.   
  
Thankfully for her, Rory had fallen asleep during the journey. Though she liked to think it was because of boredom, Molly knew he had most likely been lulled to sleep due to the steady rumble of the long, cobbled road she had driven down. She had watched him fight the urge to sleep for a number of minutes before he sighed deeply and his eyes slid closed, contentment being the only thing she could see on his face.   
  
Shortly after beginning the journey to Atlanta, Molly had checked the outdated radio for any broadcasts that could possibly convince her to turn the truck around and seek out the somewhat safe place she called home. However, due to just how outdated the truck radio was, it had cut off into a low static as soon as she had driven out of her small town. With no other option than to continue with her original plan, Molly had continued in the direction she had never before been in.    
  
It was just outside Atlanta that Molly realised it would be almost impossible for her to make it to the supposed refugee centre that night. The sun had already begun to set, leaving a warm orange glow to the sky as her truck came to a stop behind a much smaller car. From where her truck had stopped, Molly could clearly see Atlanta in all its glory. Though she had never been into the city, she had seen pictures in magazines and heard of people talking about it. However, she cursed under her breath at the sight that lay before her. Not only was the road gridlocked, but she could see just how long the traffic was along the road that lead into the city. It looked as though it would go on forever.   
  
Looking around at the cars that sat unmoving in front of her, Molly noticed that almost all of them were shut off as the occupants stood around their cars or sat in them looking anxious and annoyed. Knowing that she'd need as much gas as her truck had to offer, Molly twisted the key and let the engine fall silent. With a deep sigh, she folded her arms across her chest and situated herself in her seat so that she was slightly more comfortable. She wasn't sure on just how long she'd have to wait, but she hoped it wouldn't be too long.    
  
Molly wasn't to sure how long she sat there, watching the cars and the people stood around panic. The sun had long since gone down, leaving the area dark apart from the select few who had decided to leave their cars running. However, she noticed instantly that a slight hint of confusion fell over the faces of many as almost everyone turned to look at something beyond her truck. Furrowing her brows and twisting in her seat, Molly narrowed her eyes, trying to locate just what it was that had everyone so hooked.    
  
Before she could even take a breath, a pack of helicopters had flown overhead, making the truck rumble slightly as she spun back around and watched as they flew straight for the city. Just as she was wondering if they had been reinforcement, the city erupted in balls of light, followed by several explosions. She could do nothing but stare in horror as the city was bombed in front of her eyes.    
  
She watched the city burn in silence for a few minutes, listening to the riots that began to break out between the people stood around. It took a while for them to calm themselves and for some to get into their cars and turn around. Molly shook her head, trying to rid herself of the shock as she glanced down at Rory who was still sleeping peacefully. It took her a good half an hour to compose herself before she sighed and turned the key, letting the engine roar to life. 

Just as she had shrugged her coat of and covered Rory with it, a series of knocks erupted on her window as her head whipped in the direction, raising a brow at the man who had caused her sudden panic. Glancing around quickly, Molly tilted her body and began to unwind the window, raising her brow once more as if to ask him what it was he wanted.

"Didn't mean to frighten you." He said quietly upon noticing the sleeping toddler. "Officer Shane Walsh." He greeted, holding his hand out as Molly took it hesitantly, shaking his hand but didn't reply. She looked him up and down and took in his appearance frown his dark hair to his dark eyes. "I, uh... Well, I've been talking to the people who hasn't left yet about a little camp that's been set up. Nothing official or anything. I can't tell you how many people are there, I've just come from the camp." He muttered, beginning to feel as though he was bothering the woman. "I saw the bombing and just thought it'd be a good idea to pitch a tent for the night until a plan is in place... Of course, if you have an-" 

"Er, where is... It?" Molly asked, her voice just as quiet. "This camp I mean."

Shane grinned brightly as he twisted his body, pointing towards the trees beside the road. "Just on the other side of those trees, it's a quarter mile drive, give or take. You can't miss it if you drive that way." He motioned of towards the right.   
  
Muttering a quick thank you, she watched as Shane nodded and moved away from her truck and towards the cars behind her. Once she was sure he had left, she let the panic that had been building inside her drop and closed the window once again. Juggling her options for a minute, Molly began to wonder just what the best one to be was. Though she'd feel safer and slightly less anxious in the safety of her home, she knew it'd be a bad idea to drive in the dark after seeing the city bombed. For all she knew, her town had been bombed just like it.    
  
Shifting her truck into gear, Molly turned the wheel and let the truck roll off the road and onto the green grass beside it. Instantly, she found a narrow dirt road that followed the directions the officer had given her. Molly began to drive along it at a steady speed, trying to insure she didn't hit anyone that was walking up it. A good few times she had almost hit someone who seemed to have no clue that vehicles could use the dirt road too.    
  
The drive was quiet and short. Like Shane had said, it was hard to miss. Though the darkness of the night sky had over taken that of the sun, Molly could see the tents that had been pitched and a lone R.V that seemed to take centre stage. She opted for avoiding the part of the small, man made campsite that seemed to be packed with people and turned off in the opposite direction. She drove slowly for a few minutes before letting the truck roll to a stop. Molly reversed the car a few feet from a set of trees before she shut the engine of once more.    
  
From where she had parked, Molly had a clear view of the whole camp but had still picked a spot in which she wouldn't have to bother anyone. She watched two children play a game of chess by a fire for a few moments, trying to prepare herself for the task of putting up her tent that lie ahead. It was odd to see a campsite so overcome with people who looked as though all they wanted was answers to some sort of question.    
  
With a shake of her head and a quick glance to ensure Rory was still asleep, Molly pushed the door open and left the truck, pulling the keys from the ignition and slipping them into her pocket as she did so. Instantly, she was met with a cold breeze that was happily welcomed after the heat she had endured during the day.    
  
Closing her door behind her, Molly made her way to the bed of the truck and pulled back a large case that held all the camping gear she owned. A combination lock was what kept thieves at bay. Twisting the buttons in the direction she needed, Molly let the lock click before she released it and let it fall from the case. Just as she began to open the box, she felt eyes on her back. Opting for avoiding any possible eye-contact with anyone she did not know, Molly continued on with her task.     
  
When the tent was finally put up it looked somewhat dishevelled. The ropes that should have been tight had plenty of give in them and the bottom should have been pulled out more when she had pegged it. Molly wasn't satisfied at all. She had been camping on numerous occasions as a child and had never in her life pitched a tent quiet as badly as she had done then. She knew it was due to the time of day she was pitching it and not being able to see very well didn't help. Molly spun around and compared it to the other tents that were around. She couldn't help but snort as she looked at the neat, magazine looking tents compared to her wrinkled, flappy, sad looking one. Her tent almost looked like some bony animal that had died in the forced long ago leaving nothing but the skin and bones behind. Molly shook her head, deciding that the tent would be perfectly fine for the night. She could fix it in the morning when she had the comfort of an actual light source.    


Just as she was leaving the tent after laying two sleeping bags down, Molly noticed someone making their way towards her. She tried to avoid eye contact, hoping they were looking for a family member or something. "Don't come this way... Don't... Annnd, he's coming this way." She muttered under her breath and forced a small smile on her face in order to hide the slight anxiety she was feeling.

"Hey, sorry to bother you." The male spoke, smiling brightly at Molly, despite the circumstances. "I just thought I'd introduce myself... so that if you needed anything, you'd know who to call... I guess?" Molly surveyed his appearance, noticing he was of some sort of Asian descent. He also looked as though he was around her own age, perhaps slightly younger going by the babyish nature to his face. "I'm Glenn, Glenn Rhee."

"Molly." She muttered, brushing some hair from her face as she raised a brow at Glenn, asking him without speaking if there was anything else he needed. "No last name?" Glenn asked, laughing lightly as he took a look around. "Are you alone?"

"Molly Markle... My boy's in the truck." Molly told him, nodding towards it. She began to feel slightly anxious as she watched Glenn take a few steps back and look through the window, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of such a young child.

"Wow..." Glenn muttered, shaking his head slightly as he looked back at Molly with wide eyes. "I think he takes the record for the youngest I've seen... How, er, old is he? If you don't mind me asking."

"Three." She said, folding her arms across her chest, a defence mechanism she had picked up on at a young age. "He's three."

"Cool, uh... Age." The two stood in front of each other in and awkward silence as Molly tried her best to come up with anything that she could say that would force him to leave. However, having never been very good at confrontations, she fell blank. Molly often wondered how she had managed to get a job in a diner when she hated the company of people she didn't know. "Your tent... I know it's dark, had trouble putting mine up as well... If you need any help with it, I can lend a hand."

"No, It's fine." Molly muttered, turning back to wince at the ugly looking tent. "I'll fix it tomorrow."

"I can give you a hand!" Glenn grinned, his smile falling at the look of apprehension on Molly's face. "Or one of the others can... If you need it?"

"I know how to pitch a tent." Molly defended, feeling slightly triggered by the words he spoke. 

"I never mea-I just thou-" Glenn cut himself off, shaking his head as he offered an apologetic smile. "I was just being nice."

"Right... Well, thanks." Molly said, smiling slightly. "If I need help, I'll ask." She told him, knowing if she needed help, she wouldn't be asking. "Now, uh... Not to be rude but I'd like to get him out of that truck and into the tent... He's been in there most of the evening."

"Oh, yeah, cool." Glenn nodded, clapping his hands as he spun around. "Bye, Molly."  


She stood still and waited for him to leave, watching him as he did so. As soon as he was a good distance away, Molly sighed and shook her head. She knew that it wasn't a time for being anti-social but couldn't find it within her to shake it. With a final glance around, Molly made her way to the passenger side door and pulled it open.    
  
Pulling her coat from his form, Molly unbuckled the seat belts and lifted Rory from his seat, letting his head rest on her shoulder as his arms instinctively went around her shoulders. Pushing the door closed with her hip, she began to make her way toward the tent and into it as she felt eyes on her back once more. Molly sighed as she put Rory into the sleeping bag she had lined with numerous blankets, before zipping one side up and smiling softly down at the toddler.    
  
With a final glance outside, Molly slide half her body out in order to press the button on her keys that would lock her truck before she slipped back inside and slid her shoes off, leaving them by the tent opening. Once she had ridden herself of her coat as well, Molly zipping the tent shut and shuffled to her own sleeping bag before she climbed in and zipped it up. With one final sigh and a glance at Rory's sleeping face, Molly let her arm fall over her face and closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come quickly.


	3. Chapter Three; Double Stuffed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Easter egg in this chapter, though it may be extremely difficult to figure out. I wont say anything.

Molly had awoken many times throughout the night. Each and every time she found it difficult to steady her heart rate that seemed to beat race at a fast pace. During one or two of those awakenings, Molly had heard the little commotions of more people arriving at the campsite as some of the previous occupants left. She found I’d difficult to avoid a scowl when she heard people leave, wondering just what was wrong for them to up and leave during the night.

Almost as soon as the sun began to rise, Molly felt something tapping her cheek repeatedly. Her nose began to twitch as she mumbled something inaudible under her breath. A poorly stifled giggle was what brought Molly out of her dream state and forced her eyes to squint open. A smile fell onto her face as she looked at Rory’s face, a grin of his own taken residence on his face. 

“Morning, Hun.” Molly greeted him, bringing her own hand up to her sons face and brushing some hair back. “Did you have a nice sleep?”

“It was really, really good!” Rory explained, his eyes twinkling at his mother. 

“Just two really’s?” Molly asked, fake gasping as Rory giggled once more before he pushed himself to his knees and began to bounce. 

“Really, really, really good!” 

“Well now, that sounds more like it!” Molly exclaimed, holding her hand up and waiting for him to high five her. Rory smiled as he hit her hand with his, continuing to bounce on his knees while she watched him for a few moments.  
  
“Ma, where we at?” Rory asked as he shifted so that he was sat cross-legged in front of Molly. 

Molly pushed herself up and leaned on one arm as she surveyed her son for a few moments, wondering herself where they actually were. “We’re just outside Atlanta, camping… There’s other people here too, but that doesn't mean you can go wondering off, okay? It’s just not safe.”

Rory nodded slowly, trying to take in the answer to his question. If anything, Molly was almost certain she had confused the boy, what with usually letting him be slightly independent and agreeing to let him play at a slight distance. However, she knew she’d have to keep an eye on him in order to stop him from wondering. After all, he was still a toddler, barely even a child. 

“How about we see what food we’ve got, yeah?” Molly asked, watching as he nodded frantically, his grin returning instantly. She had always been envious of his ability to smile at almost anything. If he fell and scrapped his knee, it always ended in a smile. "Might have some of them fruit bars!"  
  
Molly watched him hop to his feet and bounce around excitedly while she took a few seconds to stretch her arms above her head before she rose from her sleeping bag and unzipped the door flap. She tilted her body to the side and let Rory slide his way out into the fresh morning air. She followed closely, leaving the tent unzipped.  

Instantly, Molly noticed just how literally Rory had taken her words. He stood merely a foot's distance from her, waiting for his mother to make the first move. With a small chuckle and a shake of her head, Molly ruffled his hair as she made her way to the truck bed and began to rummage through her bag she had packed.  

In seconds, her hand had grasped what she had been looking for. Molly pulled the dented box from the back and pulled a fruit bar from the box that Rory loved so much. She dropped the box on the truck bed before placing the packet between her teeth. She bent down and picked Rory up, helping him to sit on the truck bed. He waited patiently for his mother to unwrap the bar, opting for holding his hands in his lap as he waited. A small thank you was muttered as Molly handed him the bar, balling the wrapper in her fist and leaning against the truck as she looked around curiously. 

She noticed that many of the tents and cars that had been pitched and parked when she had arrived had gone, giving her an answer to who had up and left during the night. Not only did the man-made camp look less crowded, but it could almost be mistaken for an actual, legit camp site. What with the fire that looked as though an expert camper had built it and the logs that had been perched around it, Molly found it difficult to keep in mind that everyone had all but picked a clearing and declared it camp. However, due to the light being given by the sun, she could also see the tops of the building in Atlanta in the far distance, indicating that they were on a large hill of some sorts.

Running her fingers through her tangled hair, Molly began to survey the people that were awake, Wondering, half hoping if she knew any of them. However, she swore under her breath as she made eye contact with Glenn who grinned brightly and waved a little to enthusiastically. She muttered a few choice words under her breath as she forced a small and waved back. 

From the corner of her eye, she noticed frantic movement. Molly tilted her head, watching as Rory waved his hand at Glenn with just as much enthusiasm as the Asian had given. “Stop waving now, Hun.” Molly muttered from the corner of her mouth. “We don’t want him getting the wrong idea and coming over here.” 

“Why not?” Rory asked, dropping his hand as he looked up at his mother, taking another bite from his bar as some of the crumbs fell on his top. 

“Stranger danger.” Molly muttered, knowing that it was all she could think of in that moment. 

Her attempts at keeping Glenn away seemed to succeed but at the same time, failed. As she looked back around, she could see him talking to an older man and the cop she had spoken with on the highway the previous night. She swore once more as Glenn pointed at her, his lips moving to form words she couldn’t hear before the cop nodded and began to make his way towards her. 

“For goodness…” Molly trailed off in a whisper as she forced her smile back on her face once more. “Hi.” She said as soon as he was close enough to hear her. She held a hand over her eyes, trying to block the sun from her vision.

“Hey yourself.” He greeted, smiling brightly at Rory who found it difficult to keep his own grin at bay. “I see you both made it out here alright.” It was a statement rather than a question. “Glenn over there, you’ve met him right?” Molly nodded, raising a brow. “Yeah, well he’s told me you might need a little hel-“   
  
“With due respect, officer.” Molly cut him off, trying to keep her annoyance at bay as she scratched her nose before continuing. “I recall telling Glenn that if I needed help, I’d ask.”   
  
Shane nodded, holding his hand up slightly as he turns his gaze to Rory who had been grinning slightly the whole time. “Hey little man!” He exclaimed, his voice slightly higher than the one he had used before. “I can just tell you’re gonna be trouble round here.” 

Rory’s eyes widened in slight shock as he shook his head, looking at Molly who couldn’t help but smile. “Were on holiday, aren’t we?” She asked him, turning her body so that she was facing him more. 

"Mhm.” Rory nodded frantically, looking towards Shane as he opened his mouth once more. “Ma didn’t need work,” He grinned, placing a hand on Molly's shoulder and using it to help him up. He stood on the bed of the truck with a grin as his eyes sparkled. “So we is on 'oliday!”

Shane looked down at Molly who raised a brow, slightly amused at the behaviour her son so often used. “You must be excited, huh?” He asked him, leaning in as he pretended to whisper. “I’ve got some good intel that someone,” he pointed to himself with his thumb, “Has some double chocolate chip cookies stashed away in his jeep.”

Rory’s brows furrowed as he looked between the two adults, understanding part of what Shane had said. “Inel?” He muttered, failing miserably at his pronunciation. 

“Intel, Hun.” Molly corrected, a slight chuckle leaving her. “Means he has some information, he knows about it.” She watched her son think her words over for a few moments, his eyes shifting between the two before he nodded slowly, indicating he now understood. 

“Tell you what,” Shane began, looking beyond Molly shoulder as he held a hand up. “How bout you two come meet the rest of the group when you’re ready, could give you them cookies then.” He offered, raising his hand to Rory’s head and ruffling his hair while the young boy’s nose wrinkled and he tried to move backwards. 

“Yeah, uh… We’ll see.” Molly replied, offering him a small smile as she held her hand out to Rory, lifting him off the truck and placing him on the ground. 

Shane smiled a genuine smile before he bid the two goodbye and spun on his heel. Molly watched him leave as Rory made his way into the tent in order to rummage through his packed bag she had put in there last night. Knowing that a cop was at the camp settled her slightly. Not that she had ever gotten along well with their kind, but she knew that they liked to keep peace and stop fights and what not. To her, the cop seemed to be one of the nicest she met. Although, that was probably due to all the cops she had met before had been trying to arrest her in some way or another. 

The rest of the morning had passed by in a blur. Molly had taken the tent down and re-pitched it herself, much happier with the state of it than she had been the previous night. She had also put all the bags and cases in the truck, locking them away tightly until a time she actually needed them. She felt slightly hesitant at leaving things lying around without any form of security. 

Despite her plan to stay near her own tent, Molly couldn’t hide her curiosity at the fact that people seemed to be smiling and laughing with one another in the middle of the camp. After a long debate and a quick talk with Rory on staying by her side, the two had set of towards the fire pit and R.V. As soon as people noticed the two, smiles were sent their way as a few people greeted them fondly. 

Whether it be from the sheer amount of people or never having been around so many people he didn’t know, Rory stuck close to his mother's leg, his hand raising up to take her hand as he stared, wide-eyed at anyone who got to close for his comfort. Molly lead him towards a spare log that sat beside the fire. She took a glance around to insure she wasn't bothering anyone by sitting on the log before she took a seat, pulling Rory into her lap as he began to look around, surveying anything he could get his eyes on. 

Molly briefly wondered if she looked unapproachable as an older woman with a young girl took a seat on the other end of the log, looking slightly hesitant to do so. She forced a smile on her face in order to try and show the woman that she wasn't bothered by her sitting there, trying to make herself seem less anti-social. However, she must have smiled a little to enthusiastically as the older woman leaned across, holding a hand out and introducing herself. "Carol Peletier. This is my daughter, Sophia." 

Molly offered her own hand out, taking her hand and shaking ever so slightly. "Molly Markle, this is Rory." She chuckled as Rory's hand shot out and he leaned across her lap towards Carol who smiled softly and took his small hand in hers. 

"Nice to meet you both... Is it just the two of you?" She asked, releasing Rory's hand as she stood up and moved closer to the pair. 

"Er, yeah... It's just us." Molly nodded, smiling softly as she greeted Sophia who offered a shy smile. "Just you two?"

"My husband, Ed is over in the tent. He's not a morning person." Instantly, Molly could see her smile had dropped from her face slightly and she seemed slightly less happy.

"So, uh... How long have you been here?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Yesterday evening." Carol told her, looking as though she was thinking before she nodded. "Yes, Sophia, Ed and I came here with Shane, Lori and Carl. Not to long before yourself actually." She said, smiling once more as Sophia made a face at Rory, causing him to fall into a fit of giggles. "Some people have been here awhile. Apparently, it's been hectic trying to get into the city... Though I suppose it was a god send that they hadn't got in, what with the... B, O, M, B, S." Carol spelt out over Rory's head.

"Suppose you're right..." Molly nodded, trailing off slightly as she looked out towards the city. At first glance, it was difficult to believe that the city had been bombed hours before. However, the longer one looked, the easier it was to notice the smoke residue and dark spots that could only be described as burn marks. She shook her head, turning back to Carol with a smile. "Did you have to travel far?"

"Not to far, it wasn't too bad." Carol told her with a short shrug, raising a brow at Molly. "Yourselves?"

"A few miles." Molly said, laughing slightly at Rory trying to mimic Sophia's facial expressions. "Took a wrong turning once or twice, I've never been to the city... Moved to Georgia a few years ago."

"Really?" Carol raised a brow as Molly nodded. "Where did you come from, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Virginia." Molly told her, a sigh leaving her as she thought back to the life she had growing up. "I moved almost as soon as I could... My parents were great while I was growing up. Well, as great as two people could be. I just, had to get away from it all."

"I know what that can be like." Carol mumbled, looking of towards the tents.

Molly followed her gaze as she raised a brow at the man that seemed to be glaring daggers at Carol and Sophia. "Do you know him?"

She asked, nodding towards the man who began to make his way towards the four of them. "That's Ed." Carol muttered, trying to make it seem as though she wasn't talking. 

"Your husband?" Molly asked, looking at the older woman through the corner of her eye. Carol nodded slightly, forcing a smile on her face as Ed came to a stop in front of them. Molly stared blankly at the man as she watched him try to smile charmingly at her. 

"Sorry to bother," He began, not looking sorry at all. "I need to borrow my family." Molly nodded slowly, bidding Carol farewell as the other woman smiled and stood to follow her husband, Sophia at her heal. Rory leaned his head back against Molly's chest as the two watched them leave in silence.

She wasn't sure how long the two sat beside the fire, watching people busy themselves around them. Glenn had told her that Shane had gone back to the highway to inform people of the bombings and that there was a small camp. Which seemed to be the reason why people were arriving. However, more people seemed to be leaving, to where, Molly could only wonder.


	4. Chapter Four; Bugs.

Days passed by in a blur. Molly and Rory had met most of the camp's residents within that time and had struck up friendships with people Molly would have never thought of befriending. New comers came daily and people continued to leave in search of their families or some place that they hoped way safer. A routine within the camp had begun to take place. Most of the jobs people had decided to do when they were bored were to wash clothes or cook food and even drive down to the near-by quarry and collect water in buckets that would later be boiled on the fire. 

Rather than risk it, it was a common rule to boil the water that was collected. For one, no one knew exactly what had could have been in the water. The camp also used the quarry as the designated are in which the clothes were washed before they were brought back to camp to be hanged on rope to dry. Though they tried not to, it began to be difficult after the first few days not to use the quarry as a somewhat cold shower. So, all in all, it was best for everyone if the water was boiled.  

The day ahead was about to be a tense one for Molly and Rory. Not only had she discovered that Glenn made most of the runs into the city, she had all but begged him to tag along. At first, he had disagreed, telling her that if she needed anything, she could write it down and he'd make sure to get it. However, as Molly pledged her case, informing him that she hated people doing things for her and that she just wanted to provide for her own son, Glenn had reluctantly agreed. The tense part was being separated from her son, not knowing how he'd take it was a difficult feeling to deal with. 

She had spent most of the morning with Rory, trying to drill the information to him that she'd be back as soon as humanly possible and that it was vital he didn't wonder off alone. Once it seemed as though he understood what she was trying to say, Molly had the difficult decision of just who she was going to trust to look after him. 

  
Carol had been her first option, having spoked with the older woman many times and knew Rory enjoyed spending time with Sophia. However, she quickly remembered Ed and how much she detested the man who seemed to walk around as if he were a god. Molly knew she'd be worrying the whole time she was in the city if her son was anywhere near that man. Her second choice had been to leave him with Shane, who the small boy got along with fairly well. However, as soon as she tried to locate him, Andrea, a female who had been at the camp since the beginning told her he had gone to fetch water once more. 

Looking as though her only option would have to be Lori, Molly sighed deeply and bent down in order to inform Rory of who he had to stay near. Almost as soon as she opened her mouth, she shut it once more, her eyes falling on the R.V. Or more specifically, the man who sat in front of it reading a leather bond book. 

"Rory, you remember Dale, right?" Molly asked, smiling brightly in order to make it seem as though he was about to have a great time. Rory nodded, looking around and pointing at the old man. "Yeah, that's him... Well, if he agrees, you're going stay with him and have so much fun!" Rory grinned, bouncing on his feet and he nodded and began to pull on his mother's hand. Molly returned the grin, standing up and letting him lead her to the old man who smiled upon noticed the two. 

"And just what can I do for the two of you?" Dale asked, placing a book mark in his book and closing it before he led it on his lap. 

"Dale, hey." Molly greeted him, suddenly feeling as though she was about to burden him. "I was wondering if you could watch Rory for me, it won't be for long I just need someone he's comfortable around to watch over him." 

Dale looked between the two before a bright smile overtook his face. "I'd be very happy too!" 

Molly nodded, squeezing Rory's hand as she heard a car horn beep twice, indicating that Glenn was ready to go. She knelt beside her son and wrapped her arms around him, letting his own arms go around her shoulder as she squeezed him slightly. "Remember what I said, okay?" 

"No wonderin'." He stated, releasing his mother and moving to sit in the spare chair beside Dale. 

"I'll keep my eye on him." Dale said, waving her off as he turned to Rory and began a conversation with the young tot. 

Molly watched the two for a moment, a small smile on her face before she spun on her heal and made her way in the direction of the car Glenn had told her he'd wait in. She folded her arm across her chest as she walked, avoiding eye contact with Ed who sat beside the fire, his feet on the log as he drank from a can. 

Just as she made it to the car, she heard her name being called. In an instant, Amy, Andrea's younger sister had come to a stop beside her, smiling kindly as she opened her mouth. "Hey, I was wondering if you could maybe pick up some feminine things." Amy had asked her quietly, trying to keep her voice at a minimum. "It's a bit weird asking Glenn to get them, if you know what I mean." 

"Oh, uh, yeah... Sure." Molly nodded, waving slightly as she moved towards the passenger door and pulled it open. 

"Bout time!" Glenn grinned as she entered the car, pulling the door shut behind her. Glenn was quick to put the car into drive and make his way out of camp and down a road that spiralled its wall down into the city. 

Molly leaned back in her seat and admired the scenery, taking it all in for what it had to offer. She participated in small talk with Glenn as the two went over what the plan was, preferring to stay away from the dead. She was slightly anxious due to only dead one she had seen was the woman on her porch back home. 

It was also a shock, though unsurprising that the road had been void of any other moving vehicles. The only sound that could be heard was the steady hum of the car she was in as it moved along the road smoothly and undisturbed. To her, everything looked slightly peaceful when no one was causing traffic on the roads or busy groups of people crossing the halfway from the actual crossing. Though she couldn't shake the feeling that the city just looked abandoned. As though it had been forgotten and left to fall away into an unreadable history. 

"Is there anything specific you'll be looking out for?" Glenn asked as he turnt the wheel, turning down a side road as the car came into the city. "You know, so I can keep an eye open." 

"Well, Rory needs another pair of shoes." Molly muttered, remembering her annoyance at finding out he had not packed any shoes apart from the ones on his feet. "And Amy's asked me to pick her up some stuff... Feminine." She added at the curious look Glenn gave her. She chuckled at his reddened cheeks before she continued on. "I might need to look for a seat buckle. Rory's strap on his car seat broke. I mean, it's not like I need it right now, I'm not exactly going anywhere but it's just better to have it." Glenn nodded, agreeing with her as he continued through the back roads. "Why aren’t we taking the main roads?"

"Over crowded." Glenn told her, pushing his foot down on the break slightly as he drove past and opening in the back roads and pointed down it. "Packed with geeks." Molly nodded slowly as she saw what he was showing her. "I think there's a shop beside the one we need to go in that's got baby stuff in... He's not a baby though, is he?" 

"He's not a baby no more." Molly chuckled, shaking her head slightly. "He's a toddler... In a few months I think he'll be classed as a child, I'm not to sure." She frowned, trying to remember anything from the books she had read on time before throwing them away. "I think baby shops usually sell toddler and early childhood things anyway... If they don't, he's got small feet so he should be alright."

"Any particular size?" Glenn asked.

"Four." Molly muttered, turning to face him as she held her fingers a little bit apart. "Around that size. It's a four in toddler not child shoes so it's best you just go off of the size really." 

"Got you." Glenn nodded, pulling the car to a stop around the back of a set of stores. 

Molly pushed her car door open and got out as quietly as she could. She made her way around the ca and towards Glenn before she took the backpack he was holding out for her. With a quick nod at each other, the two of them entered the pharmacy first. 

Meanwhile, back at Camp, Rory was beginning to grow bored. Much to his disappointment, the R.V had a mass amount of smoke coming front the front that needed Dale's undivided attention. He sighed drastically as he rested his chin on his hand and swung his legs back and forth on the chair he had been told not to move from.

He could vividly hear Dale trying and failing to curse under his breath as he rummaged through his tool box that sat on the ground beside his feet. However, Rory suddenly grinned at the sight of Carol and Sophia. Though the girl was much older than he was, he liked to play game with her when Molly and Carol sat together. He twisted his body and began to climb off the chair slowly. Rory waited until his feet were placed firmly on the ground before he let go of the arms and began to make his way towards the two females, forgetting the fact that he wasn't meant to leave the chair. 

He stumbled on a few rocks as he came to a stop and held his hands out to stop himself from falling over. He giggled slightly before he began to make his way towards the two girls once more. However, he came to a sop once again, this time by his own accord as his eyes widened at Ed who had just stopped beside Carol and Sophia. If there was one thing his mother had tried to drill into him it was that Ed was a bad man and that he shouldn't be around him. 

Rory turned around and began to make his way back to the R.V. He narrowed his eyes at the patch of rocks that had made him stumble and walked around them instead. Halfway towards the R.V, something caught his attention once more. He turned to the right and began to survey the tent, or rather, the two men that had pitched their selves far from the camp.  

Having such a short attention span, Rory had forgotten about the R.V once more and set of in the direction of the two men. His speed was rather slow, due to the shortness of his legs. However, after a few minutes, he looked behind him, noticing just how far he had gone from the camp. Though he could still see it clearly, he thought better than to go any further. He looked back towards the two men who were a good ten feet away and dropped himself to the ground carefully. He folded his hands in his lap and watched the two men bicker quietly.

"Told ya' not ta' waste no more of them bags, boy!" The older man exclaimed, his hand coming to hit the younger one across the back of the head. "Now wha' we gone use ta' close this shit up?" 

"Fuck if I know, Merle!" The younger man said, pushing Merle's hand away from his head as he scowled up at him. "Ya' shoulda' packed more if ya' love 'em so bad!" 

"Don't be a fuckin' idiot, Daryl or I'll kick them damn teeth in!" Merle growled, rummaging through a bag beside him as he continued to curse under his breath.

Rory showed no sign he understood the curse words the two men were throwing at each other. He merely sat quietly and watched them while the continued to bicker back and forth. He had all but forgotten about the people back at camp as he had found something that had his undivided attention. 

Daryl and Merle were as rugged as two men could get. Though it looked as if they hadn't been at the camp to long, going by the things that were still packed in the truck behind them. Rory couldn't help but stare in wonder at the motorcycle that was also on the back of the truck.    

He looked back to the two men, taking in the older one first who had stopped rummaging through his bag and opted for cleaning a set of knifes. He held a cloth in his hand that looked as though it was once on the white spectrum. However, the cloth no looked dark and dirty. Rory shifted his eyes to the younger man as his nose twitched slightly. 

He was bent over a stomp of wood, a knife in his hand and a rabbit beneath the knife. Rory wasn't to sure what he was doing but wondered why he let his pet rabbit sleep on some wood. It was almost as if Daryl could feel eyes on himself. His own eyes narrowed as he looked up, surveying the area. He missed Rory's small form on first glance, however, something clicked inside his head and he brought his eyes on Rory's form. 

The two watched each other for a few moments as Daryl's eyes began to widen ever so slightly. He leaned over towards Merle slowly, as if he thought the boy would pounce on him, and nudged Merle in the shoulder harshly. 

"Boy, if yeh' don't qui-" He cut himself of as he raised a brow at his brother who nodded in front of him. Merle followed his gaze, his own eyes squinting at the boy who sat feet away, watching the two of them curiously.  

Rory knew he had been spotted. However, he wasn't to bothered on speaking to the two men. His eyes had shifted back to the rabbit who had not awoken yet. He raised his eyes back to Daryl and grinned brightly. "Looks like Bugs!" He exclaimed as the two brothers looked from Rory to the rabbit. 

Merle snorted, shaking his head in disbelief that a child had managed to get the sneak on them. He leaned towards the rabbit and tilted his head slightly. "Tha' fuck is Bugs?" He asked Daryl who forced his eyes away from the rabbit as well. 

"Fuck if I know." He muttered, looking back up at Rory. "Er, where's ya' Mama?" 

Rory looked away from the rabbit and back to Daryl. "Ma's gone." He told him, pushing his short legs out in front of him as he grabbed some dirt with his hands and threw it in the air. "She tell me she'll be back as soon as she can." 

"Yer' old man then?" Daryl asked, not wanting to deal with accusations of kidnap at that moment in time. 

Rory stopped throwing dirt and furrowed his brows at Daryl. He wasn't to sure on what he was being asked, having never heard of the phrase old man being used to describe something to do with him. "Dale fix the car." He told him, pointing towards the old man who was still fixing the R.V. 

Daryl looked towards the direction he was pointing as he heard Merle laugh loudly beside him while he thought a grimace. 

"He's mean's ya' Daddy, boy." Merle chuckled, resting his chin on his hand while his elbow rested on his knee. "Where's ya' Daddy at?" 

Rory shrugged, rubbing his hands in the dirt once more as he looked back towards the rabbit. "Can I see Bugs?" 

"Na'." Daryl was quick to reply, shaking his head as he made a face at Merle. "Not a good idea." 

"He sleep?" Rory asked, his voice lowering slightly as he mimicked a sleeping position with his hands beside his head. Daryl listen to Merle snort for a few moments before he nodded, opting for keeping conversation at a minimum. 

"Do ya' think we should get tha' cop?" Daryl muttered to Merle as he watched the young boy rub the dirt once more. 

"Ain't talkin' ta' no pigs." Merle stated, glaring at Daryl as he pointed towards Rory. "Kids fine, ain't ya'?" He hollered, bringing Rory out of his thoughts. 

Rory didn't hear what he had said but nodded anyway as he folded his legs once more. He looked back to the rabbit fondly as he tilted his head, wondering when it was going to wake up and just how Daryl was going to stop it from hopping away. 

"Kind's like two." Daryl said, shaking his head at the thought of being blamed for something that could possibly happen to the boy. 

Rory never once took his eyes of the rabbit as he spoke up. "Three!" He exclaimed, holding up four fingers. That was all the proof Daryl needed as he pointed towards the boy and glared at Merle who shrugged. 

"He ain't our problem."  

Back in the city, Glenn and Molly had just finished clearing out the pharmacy of anything that they needed to get. Molly had stuffed her bag full of feminine products, feeling it better for her to grab more than was needed. She had also grabbed some other things that she thought could be of use. 

The pair said nothing as they made their ways next door to the baby store. Molly let Glenn lead the way as the two of them searched the store for the two things they needed. She had left Glenn with the task of getting shoes while she searched the shelf for the buckle she needed. It was easier for her to explain the shoe size than it was a buckle type. 

She spent the next ten minutes searching through the boxes, finding buckles that were too big and buckles that were too small. Her frustration was beginning to show by the time Glenn came back, holding up two different types of shoe as Molly nodded, letting him put them in her bag that was on her back. 

"Find it?" Glenn asked as he zipped her bag up and came to stand beside her. 

"No, I just can't see-" She cut herself off as she noticed a shelf cleared out. One lone box sat on the shelf with the exact buckle she needed. "Well, this is our lucky day." 

As soon as her hand had grasped the box, growls and bangs erupted on the double front doors. Molly jumped as Glenn began to usher her towards the back door, the pair making it out just as the sound of glass shattering filled their ears. As quickly as the two could, they ran back to the car and hopped in. In seconds, Glenn had the car running and accelerated towards and opening where he could spin the car around and make the short journey back to the camp.

Back at camp, Shane had just arrived after filling the buckets the camp had with water from the quarry. He made his way towards the R.V with the intent of asking Dale if he had a spare hose he could borrow. "Dale." He greeted, coming to a stop as the old man smiled fondly and wiped his hands on a cloth. "Was wondering if you had a spare hose anywhere?" 

"Depends on what you need it for." Dale said with a frown. "I've got a small one, it's one that big of an opening." 

"I need to transfer water from bucket to bucket." Shane told him, holding his hand above his eyes to block out the sun. 

Dale nodded, rummaging through the other side of his tool box as he pulled the small hose out and gave it to Shane with a smile. "Oh, if it's not too much bother, could you bring some water back for Rory, I don’t think he's had a drink since he's been with me."

"Uhh, sure..." Shane trailed off, looking around the R.V as he tried to locate the little boy. "He inside, yeah?"

"No, he's just round her-" Dale cut himself off mid-sentence as he stared wide-eyed at the empty chairs. "I left him there. I specifically told him not to move." 

Shane swore under his breath, shaking his head a little as he looked towards Dale in disbelief. "He's three years old, did you really thing he has that much of an attention span?" 

In an instant, Shane had brushed Dale off and spun around. He stood in the middle of the camp and tried to locate the little boy by eye before he alerted anyone else to the problem. He could vividly see the woman hanging clothes up with no three-year-old around them. Though he tried not to let any alarm take over, he seemed to be failing. 

He looked towards Molly's camp, hoping the boy had retreated there to play but saw no sign of him. Just as he was about to make his way to the woman and ask if anyone had seen him, he noticed a camp a little way away from the actual camp. Dixons.

"Yer mama hot?" Merle asked the boy with a raised brow. 

"Merle!" Daryl hissed, shaking his head at his brother's words. 

"Wha'?" Merle demanded. "Gotta ask." 

"Ya' ain't gotta ask nothin'." Daryl muttered as he looked up, hearing gravel crunch in the distance. "Cops comin'." 

Merle looked up, raising a brow at Shane as he held his arms open and grinned.

"Welcome officer." He watched as Shane's jaw clenched and he bent down, scooping Rory of the ground as soon as he was near. "Boy's jus' been hangin' with Ol' Merle."  

"You were meant to stay by the R.V, mate." Shane said, glaring at the Dixons as he spoke to Rory who pointed towards the rabbit. 

"Bugs is sleepin'." He told him, holding a finger to his mouth. "Gotta be quiet." 

"Come on." Shane muttered, turning on his heel and walking back towards the camp. "Your mum will be back soon and we can't just have you wondering off like that." 

"Yer welcome!" Merle hollered.


	5. Chapter Five; Recognition.

Shane Walsh breathed a deep sigh of relief. Not only had he found Rory safe and well, he had also managed to get him back to the R.V just as the familiar blue car was seen heading towards the camp in the distance. Upon Dale's orders, he carried Rory inside the R.V, setting him down at the table where the older man had laid out some plain paper and crayons. Smiling softly at the grin that fell on Rory's face when he noticed the art supplies, Shane brushed a hand through the young boy's hair as he spun around and made his way back out into the open.

In regards to Glenn and Molly, it had taken no longer than five minutes for the duo to return to camp from the curved dirt road the blue car had been seen driving on. Though the run to the city had been easy enough, as soon as she had exited the car, Molly couldn't help but breath a deep sigh of relief. When she had all but demanded to accompany Glenn on a run, she had no clue as to what she'd be dealing with. However, after seeing just how deserted the city was and hearing the noises she was sure would haunt her dreams the next time she slept, Molly understood just how real everything now was.

She smiled softly at some of the residents who came to welcome herself and Glenn back, feeling slightly on edge at just how many of them spoke as if they had been long friends of her own. "We're going down to the quarry to do some laundry if you're up for it?" Lori said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as Molly nodded slowly, rummaging through her bag and pulling her two items out before handing it off to Amy who thanked her. 

"Yeah, I'll meet you down there." Molly told her, motioning over to where her tent sat secluded. "I'll grab the clothes and refill my water bottle then make my way down." Lori offered her a smile as she nodded and removed her arm from around Molly's shoulder. 

Molly turned on her heal and made her way towards the R.V first, wanting to tall Rory that she was back before she left once more. The gravel beneath her boots crunched as she vividly heard Lori behind her telling Carl not to wonder off. As she moved closer to the R.V, Molly could hear Rory's laughter which caused a smile to overtake her blank expression. 

"What about green?" She heard T-Dog ask as she pulled the door open, seeing the two of them sitting at the table with crayons and paper scattered around them. 

"Bug's wasn't green!" Rory exclaimed, another fit of giggles rushing through him as he took the green crayon from T-Dog's hand and swapped it for a grey one. "This colour lookin’ more like him." 

"How'd you know it was a him, huh?" T-Dog asked, looking up slightly and offering Molly a smile as he noticed her moving towards the two of them. "Coulda’ been a girl." 

"Bug's is a boy, silly!" Rory told him, shaking his head as he gave the older man an over exaggerated sigh. The young boy must have heard the movements of his mother too as he spun slightly grinning when he noticed her. "Ma!" 

"Hey, Buddy!" Molly exclaimed, grinning brightly as she knelt in front of him when he twisted his body, swinging his feet softly. "You look like you've been having a blast." 

Rory nodded, twisting in his seat once more as he showed his mother the drawing he had spent the last ten minutes working on. To him, it was the best piece of art he had ever drawn. However, to Molly, it was several scribbles and a mass amount of grey. She knew instantly the parts T-Dog had drawn, being able to make out what it was much easier than her sons. 

"Wow, that is so amazing!" She exclaimed, wrapping her arm around his shoulder and grinning brightly at the look of pride that overcome him. "Listen, Bud... I'm going to go down to the quarry with some of the other women, you can come with if you want to?" 

Molly fought a laugh as she watched the look overcome his face. He seemed to be thinking hard, looking from T-Dog to his drawing and back towards Molly before he shook his head. "Needa' finish Bug's." 

"I can stay for a little bit." T-Dog told her, shrugging slightly as he offered Molly a smile. "I might have to leave but Glenn's usually around, I can get him to watch him for you.” 

"Thank you." Molly said, returning the smile as she ran her hand through Rory's hair, offering him another grin before pushing herself to her feet and making her way back out the R.V. As she made the short treck towards her tent, Molly couldn't help but look up at the sky. The flecks of golden sunshine mingled with the few wispy clouds in the sky. The azure sea overhead showed no signs of rain. It was the perfect weather for clothes to dry. Molly smiled, knowing she'd be able to keep herself and her son in clean clothes. 

Upon entering the area she had taken up, she smiled to herself as she noticed everything the same way she had left it. With a small sigh, she moved towards the tent, pulling the little door flap open and reaching in to grab the bag she had dedicated for dirty clothes. It was barely full, merely containing a few of her own shirts, a pair of trousers and some of Rory's clothes. Once she had the bag in her grasp, she spun around and made her way towards the truck, leaning over to grab an empty water bottle. Despite the fact that she had many bottles filled, Molly had decided it was best to keep some around for emergency's. 

After the first few days at the man-made campsite, Shane and Dale had decided to make a small water system that was made out of barrels and tubes. It wasn't anything special but it did the job. Molly came to a stop beside the second barrel and dropped her bag to the ground. She twisted the cap of the bottle and held it under the small tube as she twisted the nozzle and prepared herself for just how long it was going to take to fill the water up. 

Once the bottle had been filled around half way, Molly shuffled towards the right slightly, hearing footsteps behind her as another form took stance at the first barrel. She knew it was someone she hadn't met as a greeting didn't fall from their lips. However, as she looked up at his face, she had to take several looks to insure she wasn't in hell. "Oh, for fuck..." 

"Well, well, well." Even his voice made her want to punch him in the face. "If it isn't little Mrs Jailbait." Molly growled at the nickname she had been subjected to when she was younger and reckless. She was never underage, nor had she ever slept with anyone over the legal age limit while she was under. 

"Merle." She grumbled, her face paling slightly. "When did you get here?" 

"Wha', no hello?" Merle mocked, shaking his head as he began to fill the empty water bottle in his hand up. He grinned brightly as he wiggled his brows at her, forcing Molly to refrain from gagging. "Haven't seen each other in years and yah' can't even give Ol' Merle some lovin'." 

"I've never in my life given you any sort of love." Molly snorted, shaking her head as she noticed her bottle was almost full. "You alone?" 

"Ah!" Merle exclaimed, cackling loudly as he wiped a fake tear from his eye. "You wonderin' if Darlina is here, huh?" He sent her a look as if he knew everything she wanted to ask. Molly raised a brow, pulling her bottle away from the tube as she turned the nozzle around before tightening the lid back onto her bottle. 

"I'm not wondering about anything." Molly told him, grabbing her backpack as she shook her head and began to make her way down to the quarry. 

"He's here, Sweetcake!" Merle hollered, another laugh filling him as he shook his head slightly. "Can't wait to tell him all about who Ol' Merle has just seen!" 

Molly began to grumble under her breath. The last person she had ever thought she'd bump into was Merle Dixon. Not only was he a big part of her past, she had spent time in holding cells with the older of the Dixon brothers. She was certainly not proud of it and had tried her hardest to switch her life around. That meant leaving and setting herself up miles from the two. 

Meanwhile, Rory was dragging Glenn by the hand as he held his drawing safely in his right hand. He had taken after his mother and favoured his left hand rather than his right. Glenn was protesting, trying to stop the little boy without hurting his feelings. Not only did he realise the direction in which they were going, he also knew who had set up camp. 

"I really don't think we should be down here!" Glenn exclaimed, looking behind him and trying to meet the eyes of anyone who could possibly help. 

"Needa' go give him my drawing!" Rory said, grinning as he noticed Daryl sat in the same place he had done when Rory had last seen him. If possible, her set off at a faster pace.

"Who's him?" Glenn asked, a noise catching in his throat as his own eyes settled on Daryl too. 

Daryl had heard the commotion almost as soon as it had begun. He looked up, squinting his eyes slightly at the odd looking duo that were making their ways towards him. If he wasn’t such a hot head, Daryl would’ve snorted on the spot. Glenn looked absolutely ridiculous being pulled along by a child who looked all to eager to drag him along. However, instead of snorting, Daryl opted for glaring at the Asian boy, cursing him under his breath for letting the boy bring him here. 

“Tha’ fuck do you want?” Daryl grumbled, continuing to sharpen his arrow head as he watched Rory look around with a frown. 

“Bug’s gone?” Rory asked, trying to look around Daryl, half hoping the rabbit would come hoping out.   
“Don’t ‘ace a clue wha’ your on about, boy.” Daryl said, shaking his head as he brushed some dust from his legs. 

“Uh, rabbit.” Glenn choked out, almost squeaking under his breath as Daryl glared at him, raising a brow. “Er, he’s drawled a rabbit and well, Bug’s is a rabbit… Bug’s bunny?” 

Daryl face fell blank if any emotion. He wanted to hit himself for not seeing it sooner, the way he had been staring at the rabbit and asking if it was sleeping. What was he supposed to tell him? Oh, Merle and I ate bug’s for dinner last night, absolutely fucking scrumptious. “He hopped back ta’ where he came from.” 

Rory's brows furrowed as he pondered over what he had just been told. For the life of him, he didn't understand what Daryl was trying to say. What did he mean his pet rabbit had hopped back to where he came from? Where did he come from? "I drawled picture for you!" He exclaimed, pulling his hand from Glenns grasp and all but diving towards Daryl. 

Daryl glared at Glenn as he watched Rory unfold his picture, holding it up for Daryl to see. To Daryl, it looked like absolute shit. However, he knew he couldn't very well tell the kid what he thought. That was more like Merle. "Thanks." He grumbled after trying to avoid the paper Rory was shoving a him. 

"You very welcome!" Rory said, grinning from ear to ear as he made his way back to Glenn, waving behind him slightly. Glenn's brows furrowed as he turned around, gulping at the sight of Merle who was making his way towards the three of them 

“Beat it China-boy!” Merle said, as he grinned brightly at Daryl. “Guess wha’?” He asked, waiting for Glenn to grab Rory and all but run off. He frowned at the way the young boy waved enthusiastically over the Asian boys shoulder. 

"Wha'?" Daryl muttered, folding the picture and placing it in his bag. 

"Yer' never gone' guess who I seen." Merle said, his grin beginning to crow as he didn't bother to wait for Daryl's reply. "Molly Markle."


	6. Chapter Six; Meeting's of the First.

**{Anything wrote in italics is prior to the apocalypse.}**   
  
  
_The music flowed through his veins as he tapped his foot, involuntarily, to the bass line while he leaned against the grubby kitchen counter. No matter how hard he tried, Daryl couldn’t find it within himself to move from the safety he had sought out almost as soon as he had entered the worn-out cabin._

_It was by pure mistake that he was even inside the wooden structure. After a long day of seemingly doing nothing, Merle wanted to drive out to see a girl he was having a fling with. Not only had Daryl all but begged to be left at home, he really didn't want to play third wheel. However, his luck had always been pretty bad as Merle had spotted a party. Merle being Merle had forgotten about the girl in an instant and had demanded that the two of them check the party out instead._

_"She's a pain in my ass anyway!" Merle had exclaimed, slamming the truck door behind him as he set off for the cabin in which the music was coming from. " Would I rather fuck aroun' with a girl who pisses me tha' fuck off, or get me some free booze an' some new class A pussy?"_

_"Don’t know why yer' makin' me come inside with you." Daryl grumbled, ducking to miss the fist that Merle had sent his way. "Would prefer ta' stay in the truck."_

_"'Cause I need a wing man, Darlina! Does it look like I care wha' you'd prefer?" Merle growled, shaking his head as he jogged up the porch steps. "Hell, might even find a girl willing enough to let you take 'er to tha' bedroom."_

_Unsurprisingly, Daryl had found himself alone as soon as the two brothers had even entered the wooden door frame. Scoffing at the back of his Merle's head, who began to grin and greet the woman with barely little clothes on, Daryl had slithered his way through the many bodies, trying not to make contact with anyone as he made his way towards the kitchen; Which was where he found himself staying put._

_If there was one thing Daryl was certain of, it was that he detested being around drunk people. Sure, he didn't mind getting drunk himself and forgetting about all the worries he had. However, he just couldn't deal with other drunk people. Their in-coordination had him growling under his breath every time one of them bumped into him. It was getting old and he sure as hell wasn't growing to like it anytime soon. If he had his way, Daryl wouldn't mind raising a fist. That'd show them not to bump into him ever aga- "Excuse me."_

_Daryl's dark thoughts had been wiped from his brain as he spun slightly, raising a brow at the woman who stood in front of him. If Merle paid this girl to come over here, he knew it was going to be bloody when the two got home. "Keep tha' money and pis-"_

_"Could you just move over a little?" She asked, raising a brow at him as she pointed over his shoulder towards the counter. "My friend needs a new cup..." Daryl squinted down at her, watching her face for a few moments before he shuffled to the left and looked over his shoulder to see that there was in fact a stack of cups behind him. "Thanks..." She muttered as she took one from the top. "Er, I'd stay off the drink if I were you. Going off about money and what not."_

_"Didn't mean... I jus' thought that..." Daryl trailed off, finding it difficult to put the simple reply into words. She stared up at him with a small smile, waiting patiently for his reply. Daryl felt his cheeks burning as he moved his eyes from her face as watched her fiddle with the plastic cup in her hand. "My brotha'… He has a habit of doing shit ta' piss me off."_

_"You're here with your brother?" She asked, turning to look around as she leaned against the counter beside him. Daryl shuffled away from her slightly as he watched her looked around the small cabin. "Younger or older?"_

_"Older..." Daryl mumbled, his brows knitting together as he watched the small smirk form on her face. "Tha' fuck ya' doin'?"_

_"It's a game of sorts I like to play." She told him, turning to face him slightly as she held her hand out. "Molly." Daryl merely stared at her hand, looking as though no one had ever offered their hand to him as a greeting._

_"Daryl." He grumbled, surveying the room once more as Molly lowered her hand and shrugged._

_"Does he have hair?" She asked, raising herself onto her tip-toes in order to get a better look. Daryl couldn't help but snort at the fact she had to do so in order to see over the mass amounts of heads. He knew for a fact Merle was probably boning some girl in a far-off room. However, he wasn't about to tell her that, this was the most fun he had all night. "Judging by the way you talk... I think I remember someone who sounded a lot like you and who looked slightly like you trying to chat up my friend... Considering she is no longer in the spot where I left her, I think the two of them may or may not be coming together as one instead of two, if you get my drift."_

_Daryl choked on his breath slightly as he stared down at Molly who grinned and laughed lightly at the reaction she had gotten. "Way ta' put it lightly." He muttered, rubbing his throat gently as Molly chuckled once more._

"You hear what I jus' said, boy?" Merle shouted, slapping Daryl across the back of his head as he kneeled down beside him, grinning from ear to ear as he bounced on his feet. "Molly Markle is here in this ol' camp... Been here longer than us!"

Daryl shook his head, trying to shake the memory of the first time he had met the woman. If it wasn't for Merle, he had never met the woman in the first place. However, he couldn't deny that he had been curious and often wondered about her. "Tha' fuck you mean, she's here? You been takin' crystal again?"

"Ran out of tha' shit day before yesterday!" Merle stated, rubbing at his chin as he thought lovingly about his beloved crystal methamphetamine. "So, no. I ain't high or shit... I jus' seen her down where they're keeping tha' water. She walked off towards the quarry. Think the woman are washing clothes an’ shit."

 "You got a point with this or wha'?" Daryl asked, rummaging through his bag in order to look as though he really didn't care about what Merle was telling him. Technically it was half true. He wasn't bothered about the fact that a girl from his past was here because that’s just what she was, from the past. However, no matter how hard he tried, Daryl was finding it difficult to stop his curiosity from over taking.

"C'mon, Darlina!" Merle exclaimed, shaking his head in slight disbelief. "You ain't fucked no bitches since her, don't even try to tell me otherwise because I ain't dumb! An' I know yer' all hooked on tha' bitch who up and left you!" Daryl shook his head, breathing deeply through his nose as he tried to contain the anger Merle had suddenly flanked within him. 

"It's jus' tha'!" He told his older brother, shrugging for added affect. "She left. Tha's all." If only... He thought to himself, wondering why Merle was the one to see her first and not him. Sure, the two got on and more often than not, he had to bail both of them out of jail after some sort of illegal shit the two were up to, but it wasn't anything more than a friendship of sorts. "She lookin' any different?" He found himself muttering, regretting it almost as soon as the words had left his mouth. 

"I knew it!" Merle exclaimed loudly, slapping a hand on his knee as he pushed himself up straight and released a loud laugh. "Older... Could tell it was 'er as soon as she looked up at me. Little rat is still short as fuck." Daryl found himself smiling softly at the nickname Merle had given her along with plenty of others. He had always wondered why he called her a rat instead of something else, however, whenever he had asked the two of them, it resulted in rounds of laughter. "Don't think she was to 'appy to see Ol' Merle."

"Wha' makes you think that?" Daryl mumbled, zipping his bag up as he pulled the picture the kid had drawn him out from under it and shoved it into a side pocket. "Thought you two got on."

"Times 'ave changed, boy!" Merle told him, shaking his head at Daryl's stupidity. "Bitch jus' walked off... She asked 'bout you though. Had a funny look on 'er face tha' I jus' can't place."

"Probably felt sick from seeing yer' ugly mug after all this time." Daryl muttered under his breath, wincing as he felt Merle's hand slap him once more. "Stop fuckin' hitting me!"

"Stop being a stupid fuckin' prick then!" Merle growled, his harshness coming back as he took a seat against the tent and crossed his legs in front of him. "Might go out on a run with the china-boy next time he goes out." Daryl looked up instantly, his brows narrowing as Merle shrugged slightly. "Wha'? I'm offering my assistance."

"Big word." Daryl said, shaking his head as he released a deep sigh."Thinkin' of going a little further out... Try an' find a deer or somethin'. Not to sure when but if yer' goin' out... May as well go when you do."

Meanwhile, down at the quarry, Molly was scrubbing one of Rory's t-shirts while absent-mindedly staring off into the lake. She was barely listening to the conversation that was swimming around the air, preferring to ponder on her thoughts rather than engage in the gossip the other woman loved to spread so much. However, before she could get too far into her past and remember the times she fought so hard to forget, she sighed deeply and tuned back into the conversation as she placed the shirt beside her and picked up a pair of her own trousers.  

"How about you, Molly?" Amy's voice penetrated through her ears, causing her to look up and raise a brow. "Have any shows you miss watching?" Molly had to fake a cough in order to cover the snort that had left her mouth. She shook her head softly and smiled at the young girl. 

"I don't really watch television." Molly told her, watching her eyes widen in disbelief slightly as Carol muttered something about not everyone watching T.V. "What with a three-year-old and two jobs, it was never a thing I could do. Not that I wanted to anyway." She added, rubbing the palm of her hand against a particular mark on her trousers as she soaked them in the water once more. "Rory watched it sometimes but he preferred the outdoors and his toys over sitting still and watching television. He's always been like that."

"What about his dad?" Amy asked, receiving a nudge and a sharp head shake from Andrea. "What? I'm curious!" She hissed at Andrea, bringing her gaze back to Molly as she smiled softly once more, an apologetic smile taking over. "I didn't mean to pry..."

Molly shook her head, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she shrugged slightly. "He's... Well, he's not in Rory's life." She looked around, noticing the look that Lori and Jacqui shared as she coughed and shook her head with a small, forced laugh. "He's not dead." The two-woman sighed deeply, sharing looks of humour as they to, shook their heads. "No, he's well... Very much alive. I just understood it wasn't going to work out and left. It was for the best."

"Did you tell him?" Carol asked, raising a soft brow as she smiled, showing Molly she was by no means judging. "About Rory, did you ever tell him?"

Molly shook her head, rubbing a hand over her forehead as she placed her jeans with Rory's shirt and noticed that she had cleaned everything she had brought down with her. "Trust me... If you would have known him back then... Well, it was better off for all three of us that I left. It wouldn't have been a good life style."

"So you were alone?" Andrea asked, shaking her head in slight disbelief. "You worked two jobs and cared for a baby... All alone?"

"It was my own choice." Molly said, shrugging as she began to twist all the clothes she had cleaned in order to get any access water out of them. "I could've gone back home to Virginia and stayed with my parents."

"Why didn't you?" Lori asked, raising a brow slightly as she too, began to ring her clothes out. "Surely some help would've been good for you... How old were you, twenty-something? I don't think I could've looked after Carl on my own at that age."

"I was twenty-two when I had him... Almost twenty-three." Molly corrected, shrugging once more as she thought about her parents. "I love my parent's, I do. I left for a reason and to go back would just be showing my dad how much I actually needed them. He's a great man, I just... He changed a lot when I was growing up. My mum tried not to let it show, but I could see it clear as day... They were having troubles and well, I couldn't stick around and watch him do that to her. I loved them both so much that it just hurt." Molly muttered towards the end, shaking her head as she smiled softly, folding her wet clothes into a pile. "If anything, I wish I was strong enough to just call them and ask for some help. However, at the time I thought it would've been an act of weakness."

"You know I can't imagine you pregnant." Andrea suddenly stated, laughing slightly in order to try and break the tension that had over taken to woman.  "Sounds like you were ferocious."

Molly laughed loudly as she nodded, deciding not to lie and pretend she was anything but. "If you could only see my police record..." Molly muttered, loud enough for her to hear as she sent Lori an innocent look when she raised a brow, wondering why Andrea had suddenly started laughing.


	7. Chapter Seven; Delivery of the Finest.

**{Anything wrote in italics is prior to the apocalypse.}**  
  
With a quick farewell to the women at the quarry, Molly grabbed her bag in which she had put the wet clothes she had just washed and made the short walk back to camp. The sun shone brightly above her, glinting off the shimmering water behind her and reflecting like crystals. As she made her way through camp, Molly noticed the rays that cascaded over the small patches of grass. 

She smiled softly as she passed Carl and Sophia who were reading what looked to be some old comics by the water barrels. She made a mental note to ask Carl if he might be up for reading with Rory sometime as she took a quick look around, thankful to see that Merle was no longer in sight. However, her brows furrowed when she noticed that Glenn and Rory were stood in front of Ed by his tent. 

Making her way towards them, she kept her ears open as a frown over took her face at the way Ed was glaring at her boy. "Ma' use string to knot them." Rory said, his small arm reaching up as he pointed towards the bag Ed was trying to tie. He coward back into Glenn slightly when he noticed the look Ed had sent his way. The older man scoffed as he dropped the bag and stood up, taking a few feet towards the two. 

Molly noticed the change in Ed almost as soon as he had stood up. She moved faster, dropping the bag next to Amy who she had just passed, she jogged towards the three of them, her facial expression showing just how she felt with the older man moving towards her son like that. 

"You really think a bit of string is gone keep this tied?" Ed growled as shook his head, rubbing at his chin in annoyance. "Little boys should be seen and not heard! Don't give a shit what your mama does! Giving me stupid advice as if I'm gone nee-" 

“Hey!” Molly growled, reaching Glenn and bending down to grab Rory’s hand as she glared up at Ed. “Get a kick out of scary little kids, do you?” She twisted Rory around slight as she slid her hands under his arms and lifted him into the air. “Do not assume you’re smarter than him simply because you’re older than him!” 

Ed looked shook his head in disbelief before his eyes narrowed and he glared down at Molly. Just as he was about to say something else, molly noticed his eyes move to look over her shoulder. He stared for a few moments before he scoffed once again and spun on his heal, swearing under his breath as he kicked at the ground and made his way towards his tent. 

Molly waited until he was inside his tent before she turned to look over her shoulder, noticing that Shane had been sat at the fire, his shoulders tense as he offered her a curt nod. She shook her head slightly as she looked away. "You okay?" 

"Well, I think so." Glenn told her, his cheeks reddening slightly when he noticed Molly's amused look. Rory giggled as he rested his head on his mother's shoulder. "You were talking to him, right?" 

Molly nodded as she released a quite laugh. "I'm glad you're okay too." She said, thanking him for watching Rory before she set off towards her tent, deciding to insure Rory was okay before she went back to get her bag. "I thought I told you I didn't want you around that man?" Molly muttered, vividly listening to the stones crunching beneath her boots. "You need to listen to what I tell you, bud." 

"I do!" Rory said, realising an over exaggerated sigh that made Molly chuckle. "He called for Glenn to ask 'bout something and I saw he tried to tie the bags." He told her, his brows knitting together slightly as he lifted his head, raising a brow at his mother. "What did he mean that little boys should be seen and not listened?" 

Molly's lips pursed together slightly as she tried to think of a way to tell him that Ed was a prick without using the same term. She placed him back on the ground when the two had made it back to their tent. Instead of letting him enter the tent like she usually did, Molly grabbed his arms gently and turned him to face her. 

"People like Ed... They don't understand that sometimes, children can be smarter than adults." She told him, repeating the words her own father had told her when she was younger. "He thinks that he's brighter than you because he's older. So, I'm going to go ahead and apologize for him because he's wrong, okay?"

"Why apologize?" Rory asked, his face full of confusion as he raised a brow slightly. "You didn't do it, Ma'." 

Molly smiled at him, pride seeping through her at the fact that she had raised him the same way she had wanted him to be raised. "I just mean that adults should apologise to children when we're wrong. It's not your fault that he didn't want to take your amazing suggestion!" Molly said, watching his eyes light up. "You can go and play now." Rory was quick to throw his arms around her shoulders and squeeze her as tightly as he could before he released her and stumbled off towards the tent. Molly watched him go, shaking her head slightly as a laugh left her lips at the fact he was just to pure.  

The rest of the day had passed by in a blur. Molly had retrieved her bag and hung the clothes she had washed out on her truck, letting them dry in the sun while she played a few games with Rory and even allowed Glenn to join in on the action for a little bit before he had to go and help Dale. The two of them had taken Lori up on her offer to eat with Carl, Shane and herself and had even enjoyed it. 

As the sky began to darken, Molly had retreated to her tent with Rory. Almost as soon as the toddlers head had hit his pillow, he was out. The silence and alone time allowed Molly to ponder on some of the thoughts she had been trying to keep at bay. She sighed deeply as she dropped onto her of tent next to Rory's and looked up at the top of the tent, biting her lip slightly as she thought of her interaction with Merle Dixon.

To say it was a surprise would be an understatement. She had not been expecting to see either of the Dixon brothers ever again. However, to learn that both of them were currently somewhere nearby was causing anxiety to spread around her. She tilted her head, taking in Rory's peaceful appearance as she felt her eyes burning slightly.

Before she could ponder too much on the resemblance of Rory Markle and Daryl Dixon, Molly thought back to one of the times she had spent with Merle, a quiet chuckle leaving her as she wiped at her eyes and looked towards the tent once more, replaying the memory in her mind. 

_"This is all your fault. You now that, right?" Molly demanded, resting her head against the wall behind her as she crossed her left leg over her right and sighed deeply. "Should never have agreed to go with you." She added, glaring up at Merle who was casually laid across on the metal bench with his arms tucked comfortably behind his head, from her spot on the ground beside him._

_Merle mumbled something under his breath as Molly narrowed her eyes at his form, trying to make out just what he had said before he spoke up, "Tryin' ta' get some sleep here." He grumbled, one eye snapping open as he tilted his head and looked down at her with slight annoyance. "So, I suggest ya' shut tha' trap of yers' 'cause my head is bangin'."_

_"Does it look like I care about your fat head?" Molly asked, raising a brow as she scoffed lightly, shaking her own head and grumbling a few choice words under her breath. "You're the reason we're stuck in this shitty cell in the first place! Can't keep them fists of yours to yourself." Merle shook his head as soon as the words had left her mouth. He pushed himself up from the rather uncomfortable bench and turned to face her, giving her his best glare as he kicked her leg harshly._

_"What the fuck!" Molly hissed, bringing her leg to her chest as she rubbed her hand across the part of her leg he had kicked, trying to sooth the shooting pain. "I could literally get you done for assault right now!"_

_"Ya' best not be telling Daryl wha' happened las' night!" Merle growled, his nose twitching as his glare never once faltered. "Ya' tell him an' I'll tell him how little Molly gambled las' months wages away!"_

_Molly gasped, her own eyes narrowing in return. "You wouldn't!"_

_"Try me you little rat." Merle mumbled, a smirk finally over taking his face as he noticed the night guard making his way towards the barred cell the two had been confined to one to many times that month. "You here ta' let us outta' 'ere or wha'?" He asked, as Molly straightened up from her place on the floor, a brow raising as she looked up at the guard in slight hope._

_"You're each allowed one phone call. I suggest you call someone to come and pick you up because unless someone does, you two won't be out of here until tomorrow afternoon." The officer all but growled, rolling his eyes as he looked over the two briefly. "Dixon, you first."_

_"Why does he get to go first?" Molly all but yelled, throwing her hands in the air as she ignored the loud cackle Merle had released and watched the guard open the metal gate in order to take him to one of the phones. Molly couldn't help but release a small sigh of contentment. It had been the first time she had been alone in hours. She rubbed her forehead with her palm, trying to calm some of the pain she was feeling before she pushed herself from the ground and made her way towards the door. Her stomach growled slightly, a small reminder to her that she was in fact starving._

_In no time, Merle and the guard come back around the corner. She could tell instantly that Daryl must have shouted at him on the phone as Merle's face was tense and a scowl had taken over. "You next, Markle."_

_Molly brushed past Merle when the guard had opened the gate, waiting for him to close it once more before the two of them had set off. The phones were located around a thing white wall, yards away from the holding cell. The guard took a few steps back, giving Molly some privacy as she pondered on just who to call. Though it took her a while to remember the number, a small grin over took her blank expression when she finally remembered it. She punched the number into the pad and waited for her call to be answered._

_With her call made, Molly put the phone down and spun around, sending an over exaggerated grin to the guard who shook his head and raised a brow. "You managed to get someone to come and get you?"_

_"Something like that." Molly muttered, walking beside him as the two made their way back to the holding cell. In no time, she was sitting on the ground once again as Merle occupied the bench. "How mad was he?" She asked him, wincing slightly at the thought of facing Daryl once he arrived to get them._

_"He was pissed." Merle muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Boy knows not ta' say shit ta' me though." Molly sighed deeply as she looked away from him. No matter how hard she tried, she could never figure out the relationship the two brothers had. It was obvious to her that the family love was there. It was just hidden under anger and slight resentment. To her, it seemed like they got themselves into arguments just because they could._

_She wasn't sure how long she had sat on the ground, trying once again to figure the relationship the two had out. However, she knew that it must have been awhile as a grin overtook her face when she noticed the guard returning once more, slight annoyance written on his face as he held a large box in his arms. Molly pushed herself to her feet and made her way towards the cell._

_"The phone call you're allowed by law is to enable you to contact your nearest and dearest and to arrange representation, should you need it." He grumbled, opening the cell as he shoved the box towards her._

_Merle's booming laugh filled the air as Molly spun around and showed him the box, a grin on her face as she took a seat and pulled it open and let the smell fill her. "Ya' ordered pizza?"_

_"I was hungry." Molly spoke around a mouthful of pizza, a slice in her hand as she handed him the box. "You already rang Daryl and I couldn't think of anyone else to call. Didn't want to waste my one phone call on something useless." Merle agreed as he dug in as well._


	8. Chapter Eight; Cargo of Mystery.

Before Molly knew it, she and Rory had been in the camp for a week. A whole week of nothing but slight boredom and very little entertainment. Once the excitement of camping wore off, Rory had made it his mission to ask Molly every chance he got when the two of them were going home. Though it annoyed her to no end, she would always smile at him and explain that honesty, she really wasn’t sure.

One thing she was slightly shocked over, was that she hadn't bumped into Merle since she had seen him at the water station. She knew him like the back of her hand and knew it would've been difficult for him to stay clear of the chance to annoy her. Molly had an incline that it had something to with Daryl, with whom she had yet to set eyes on. 

The reason the two of them had even worked out was due to their similar mindset. If it was the other way around, Molly knew she wouldn’t go looking for him after what had happened. After all, she did leave with little explanation and though she tried to tell herself it was perfectly fine, Molly couldn’t help the ache in her heart that caused her to feel bad about the whole thing. 

Placing the final bottle of water into her bag, Molly zipped it shut as she pulled it onto her back, brushing the dirt from her trousers. She brushed a hand through Rory's hair as she passed him, smiling softly at the grin he sent her when he looked up. In an instant, he had looked back to Carl, his eyes blown wide as he listened to the older boy read him the comic he had retrieved from his tent. 

Glenn had mention to Molly that he was taking a group back to the city and was wondering if she wanted to tag along. Preferring to do things for herself rather than sit back and let others do it for her, Molly had agreed, asking Lori an hour later if she'd be kind enough to watch Rory for her. Though she hated leaving him behind, Molly knew there was no way she'd take him into the city with her. 

The gravel crunched beneath her boots as she made her way towards the minivan that would take the group down and into the city. She smiled at Andrea who held her hand out, taking Molly's bag from her and placing it into the back of the van. 

"Glenn said you'd be coming." Andrea said, smiling softly at Molly. "Nice to have another woman on the ride." She added, pointing towards Jacqui who was talking to T-Dog. "Jacqui was going to tag along but I think she's changed her mind."

"Can't say I blame her, really." Molly muttered, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "Last time Glenn and I went, it wasn't pretty... Who knows what it's like down their now." Andrea nodded, agreeing with her as T-Dog climbed into the driver's seat, Morales taking the passenger seat.

Molly patted Andrea's shoulder as she made her way to the side of the van and climbed in, taking one of the seats by the window. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to mentally prepare herself for the trip into the city.

Though it didn't take as long as she thought it did, Molly didn't re-open her eyes until she felt the van move. She kept them closed when the van was filling up, ignoring the doors slamming and the engines starting. She groaned loudly, however, when she did open her eyes, glaring at the figure that was grinning at her from his spot opposite her. 

"Long time no see, Markle." Merle stated, folding his hands across his chest as he raised a brow. "Anyone woulda’ thought yeh’ been avoiding me." He added, grinning at the tight-lipped look Molly gave him. "Bu’ we both know tha's not true, huh?"

"You know him?" Andrea asked from beside her, raising a brow as she pointed towards Merle. “You never mentioned anything…”

"Know me?" Merle laughed loudly, wiping a fake tear from his eye as he grinned at the two woman. Folding his hands across his chest. "We lived together. I sure 'ope she knows me!"

"You and Dixon?" Andrea muttered, looking as though she was trying her hardest not to judge and keep the disgust from her face. Molly noticed that Glenn, Morales and T-Dog were all trying to listen in without being caught. "Wow... I never would've th-"

"I'd never get with him if the population on earth was counting on it." Molly told her, shaking her head with a grimace. "We lived together sure, but we weren't together… We weren’t fucking."

"No, tha' was my baby brotha', huh?" Merle was quick to speak up, acting as though he wanted everyone in the car to know her business. Molly glared at him, shaking her head as she huffed out a deep breath, trying her hardest to keep her temper under control. 

"I thought you said it was just you and Rory?" T-Dog asked from the driver's seat, looking in the wind view mirror with a raised brow. Molly's heart almost stopped beating as her eyes widened slightly, she could see the frown that had taken over Merle's face. 

"Tha' fuck is Rory?" He demanded, no longer looking humorous and looking as though he demanded an answer within ten seconds. "Yeh'  got yerself another man?" He added, raising a brow as he leaned forward, slapping her knee when she didn't reply. "I'm talkin' to ya'!"

"Fuck off!" Molly growled, kicking her leg out at his hand as she returned the glare. The two sat glaring at each other. Molly really wanted to smugly tell him that if she did have another man, it was none of his business.

"Nah man, it ain't her man." T-Dog spoke up, feeling slightly tense and as though he had done more damage than good when he had mentioned Rory. "Rory's her boy." If looks could kill, T-Dog would've died in that moment. 

Molly glared at the back of his head, hating the fact he had just brought up the topic she had all but hidden from the Dixon’s since before she had even left them. She brought her eyes back to Merle, noticing the shock evident on his face as he opened and closed his mouth like a puffer fish.

"She's gotta' kid?" Merle asked, a grin taking over as he shook his head. "Yeh' sure it's alive? How tha' fuck did yeh' manage to keep somethin’ alive when yeh’ could barely keep ya' self alive?" He asked, not waiting for an answer as his brows furrowed. "Yeh’ hate kids."

Molly sighed, brushing some hairs off her face as she looked at him, trying her best not to roll her eyes. "I hate kids but I like my own." She muttered, leaning her head back against the seat as she noticed Merle's eyes narrowing.

"The fuck did yeh’ get knocked up?" He muttered more to himself than to her. "Kid must be like one or Somethin'." He added, looking as though his brain was beginning to hurt from all the thinking. Molly knew she was done for as soon as she noticed Glenn opening his mouth.

"Rory's three." He said with a smile that fell at the look Molly was sending his way. "Er, sorry, I didn-"

"Fuck off!" Merle exclaimed loudly as Molly felt the van jerk slightly. T-Dog jumped at the explosive sound that had left Merle's mouth. He steered the van back onto the road as he glared at Merle's head in the wind view mirror. "How tha' fuck is he three if yeh’ left us like fou-" Molly shook her head quickly, watching as his eyes widened and he pointed at her. He could remember the kid clear as day, could even see his facial features and the colour of his eyes as he sat on the ground, throwing dirt in the air. "Tha' kid gotta be Da-"

"I slept with Eddie Walters before I left." Molly told him, thinking of the first name she could remember from her past. "Yeah, he was hot as fuck, who was I to say no?" She winced at the look he gave her as he shook his own head, nodding slightly as though he found out the answer to every question he ever had about her leaving. 

"You fuckin' little liar!" Merle hissed, pointing a finger in her face. Molly swatted his hand away, opting for looking away from him and ignoring his presence than give him the answer he already knew. "Ya' think I ain't gone tell him as soon as we get back?" He laughed dryly. " Yeh', we'll see what he's gotta' say 'bout it! One more look at tha' kid and we'll know."

Andrea finally broke through, raising a brow softly as she asked the question everyone else in the van so desperately wanted the answer too."Tell who what?"

"None of your business." Molly muttered, before she moved her gaze back to Merle, all but glaring at him. "Shut your mouth before I shut it for you!"

"Tha' fuckin' kid of ‘ers is my blood! Yeh’, he's Daryl's boy, ain't he Molls?" He thought of it as a slight revenge to tell Andrea exactly what the two were talking about. Merle hated other people knowing his business and he wasn't sure why he even told them. He could see the hurt in Molly eyes along with the sheer anger. 

“You can’t prove shit, Merle!” Molly growled, shaking her head as she looked back out the window, noticing they were driving through the backstreets of the city. “Rory’s mine, no one else’s.” 

“We’ll see ‘bout tha’.” Merle grumbled, crossing his legs as he looked out the window, a deep frown on his face. Molly knew he was thinking about everything that had just happened because she was doing the same. 

She tilted her head as she followed his lead and began to look out the window, noticing that the mini-van was driving through the back roads of the city. She winced at the bodies that littered the streets, flesh torn from uncoordinated parts of the bodies. Molly noticed rather quickly that not only were there bodies of different ages and gender, but also body limbs and blood covering random patches on the road. She fought a grimace and looked upwards, taking in the building structures for what they had become. 

At first glance, the building themselves could be mistaken for being abandoned. However, once Molly's eyes began to adjust to the centre T-Dog had stopped the mini-van behind, she could see that most of the windows had been smashed in, along with the doors. Through the broken windows, Molly noticed that the store to the left of them had been severely looted. 

"Let's try to do this as quietly and as quickly as possible..." Glenn mumbled, looking as though he was beginning to re-think agreeing to taking more than one person with him. He ignored the racial name Merle had mumbled under his breath and slid the door open.

Molly held her hand out in front of her, motioning for Andrea to exit the van before her. She waited until the blonde was out before she stood and exited after her, making her way round to the back of the van and taking the bag Morales was holding out for her with a small thank you. In no time, everyone had grabbed whatever it was they had brought along with them and followed after Glenn in a single file line. 

To any spectators, it'd probably be a funny sight to see the six of them making their way towards and into down town Atlanta's abandoned shopping mall. Glenn lead the way, his head whipping in every which direction at the smallest of sounds while he held a baseball bat out in front of him. Morales followed close behind him as he too, had a bat held in front of him. However, it was clear that Morales knew how to hold one better than Glenn did. T-dog left a small gap between him and Morales as he followed third, a set of tools in his left hand as he walked a little more casually than the two in front of him. Looking out of place, Andrea walked behind T-dog, looking as though she'd rather be anywhere but where she was. Molly had her hands looped in the straps of her bag as she followed after Andrea, looking around at the city that she had never been to before the outbreak but had always wanted to visit. Finally, looking the least bit worried and more annoyed, Merle. Molly could hear him scoffing under his breath every so often.

One of the main reasons why she had taking such a curious mindset over the building structure was mainly to try and block out the groans and growls that were filling her ears from the distance. To say it scared her slightly would be correct. Molly had only seen glimpses of what actually happened when the virus took over and she could honestly say that it wasn't pretty. 

In no time, Glenn had the back door open and was holding as he ushered everyone inside with his arm. Molly made her way inside after Andrea and hear Glenn shut the door not to long after. The group let out a few deep breaths at the fact that they had made it into the store without any run in's with the infected."How do we know there isn't any inside?" Andrea asked, staying behind Morales and T-Dog. 

"We don't..." Glenn trailed off, noticing the slight look of horror that passed her face. "I mean, it was safe when I came her two days ago... The doors out front were intact and I don't think anyone got inside the door we just came through." Molly snorted, shaking her head as she pushed through the double doors and out into the open space where there were racks of clothing."Molly!" Glenn hissed. 

Molly ignored her name being called as she surveyed the large room, noticing what Glenn was saying about the doors still being intact. She could see clearly through the glass and at the few infected people that roam the streets. She gulped slightly, noticing just how unaware they actually were as a man walked into a bin and fell to the ground dramatically. She snorted slightly, feeling bad for laughing but doing so under her breath any way. "It's clear!" She called out, spinning on her heal to face he door.

She stumbled slightly, noticing that Merle had accompanied her silently. She gave him a dirty look and ignored the grin he wore. She knew he had heard her laugh at the man outside and couldn't help but narrow her eyes at him. Molly shook her head, looking away as the rest of the group came in and broke of to search for anything useful.

Something towards the left of Merle caught Molly's attention. She began to make her way towards wall silently and kept her eyes on what it was that had peaked her attention. After a few moments of looking at the pile of what she had thought was dirty clothes, Molly noticed a head and arms. As she looked down at the body that lay against the wall, slumped over, Molly found it hard to look away. The level of decay the woman had been subjected to was almost nauseating. Not only was she missing skin on numerous parts of her visible skin, she was also covered in a mixture of caked blood and dirt."Is she dead?" 

Molly found herself asking no one in particular. She jumped with a yelp as Merle came from beside her and kicked the woman in the ribs."Fucker's dead."He told her, bending down to rummage through her pockets as Molly scoffed and shook her head. "Wha'? Bitch is dead ain't she?"

"It's disrespectful, Merle." Molly hissed, forgetting that the woman in front of them was actually dead for a moment."How'd you like it if it was you down there and I just kicked at you and stole your things?" She didn't wait for an answer and instead, made her way towards the back where she saw a medical kit and bandages. 

However, half-way towards the back wall, Molly froze in her space as the rest of the group followed her lead. An alarming amount of gunshots had broken through the air around them, chilling their bones instantly as growls and groans began to follow. She looked towards Andrea, mutely asking if what she was hearing was real. It was then that she noticed Glenn was missing. Though she knew it'd be impossible for it to be Glenn, mostly due to the fact he didn't have a gun on him, she couldn't help but panic slightly. 

As if the situation couldn't get any worse, Molly jumped as multiple infected people began to bang on the glass doors, noticing that there was living people within the building. 

"Shit... Where'd Glenn go?" Molly hissed out, keeping her voice low as she looked around, noticing that Morales was point towards a side door that was open. She made her way towards it, noticing that the door hid a set of stairs that went up. 

Sighing deeply, she took a seat on the bottom stair and decided to wait for Glenn before trying to figure out what the plan was going to be. There was no way she was going to leave him behind and if the others wanted to go, she'd bid them farewell and wait alone.


	9. Chapter Nine; Guts.

Waiting anxiously on his mother's return, Rory sat in the same position he had done before she had even left. He could see the dirt road clearly and knew when the time came, he would be able to see the mini-van on its journey back to camp. “Who that?” He muttered, pointing down at the figure Carl had just drawn on some once plain paper. After reading some comics together, the older boy had decided to try and make his own, more to keep Rory occupied than anything else. 

“That’s you and this is going to be me.” Carl said, motioning to the figure he was halfway through drawing. "I'm trying to make them much better than the one's we saw earlier." He added, his bottom lip pulled between his teeth as he added an alarming amount of height difference between the two figures. 

Pulling the grass from the ground beside him, Rory squinted up at Carl before looking back towards the figure he had drawn of himself. He continued to look from the living figure to the drawn one for a few moments, his brows furrowing as he opened his mouth to voice his concern. "You's drawn you wrong." He pointed out, dropping the grass and moving onto his knees as he motioned with his hand to Carl's head. "Not that tall."

Carl scoffed, shaking his head as a grin appeared on his face. "This is our comic so we can look however we like." He told the younger boy, adding a pair of circle glasses to his figure before motioning towards them. "See, I don't even wear glasses in real life but this isn't real so we can do whatever we like." 

Rory stared at Carl for a few moments, bouncing on his knees slightly as he frowned. Quicker than one would blink, his frown turned into a grin as he pointed towards his figure. "Mine needs some wings 'cause mines gone' fly." He told him, pointing towards the white crayon as Carl raised a brow. 

"I can't draw white wings on white paper, Rory." Carl told him, watching as his smile turned to one of curiosity. "If I use the white one then you won't be able to see them."

"Tha's the point!" Rory exclaimed excitedly, forgetting for a moment that he was waiting for his mother to return minutes prior. "Imvis-able." He mispronounced, grinning from ear to ear. "I'd look silly with wings that everybody could see. If theys imvis-able, then I could be one of them heros 'cause I'm normal but still different!" He told him, noticing the twinkle that had filled the older boys eyes. 

"That’s amazing!" Carl exclaimed, snatching the white crayon from the ground and drawing a set of invisible wings, listening to all the things Rory was telling him about the wings and who could see them even when they were still invisible to the naked eye.

Meanwhile, back in the city, Molly sighed deeply as she tapped her foot nervously. She bit her lip as she watched Andrea and Morales talk in frantic whispers about the infected that were blocking the front entrance. From what she picked up, T-Dog had told Morales that the back was overrun too. Where Merle had gone to, she didn't know neither care. 

Before she could think too much on the problem at hand, she jumped from her spot on the stairs and spun around on her heal. Her heart began to pound in her chest as she stared up the stairs, hearing the sound of frantic footsteps filling both her ears. She released a deep breath she was unaware she had even held in when Glenn came into view, a man following after him. “Where the heck have you been off too... Who’s the Sheriff?” Molly muttered, raising a brow at the man's uniform over Glenns shoulder. “More to the point, why's he trying to get us all killed?” She added, remembering what Andrea and Morales had spoken of briefly while she sat waiting for Glenn to return.

"I kinda saved him." Glenn said, offering Molly a weak smile as the men held his hand out to her. She raised her brow at him, preferring to ignore him and be petty over the fact it was his fault they were all stuck where they were. "This is Rick Grimes, he's here to clean up the town." Glenn added, sarcastically. 

"More like get us killed in here." Molly mumbled, watching Rick with slightly narrowed eyes as he tried to avoid her gaze. She could tell almost instantly that he was sorry for the trouble he had caused. With a deep sigh and a noise of slight regret, Molly stuck her own hand out. "Molly Markle." 

Rick looked up, a small smile taking over his face as he shook her hand and offered her his own name again. In an instant, Molly was nudged out of the way as a flash of blonde hair hit her in the face. She grimaced slightly as she watched Andrea pin Rick to the wall, a gun pointed at his face. "You son of a bitch! We outta kill you." She hissed. 

"Come on Andrea, back off." Morales said, resting his hand on her left shoulder. "Killing him isn't the way." Andrea continued to glare at Rick, her hand never once faltering as she shrugged Morales's hand of her shoulder. "Andrea..." 

"If you shoot that gun in here, you're only going to attract more of them out there." Molly spoke up, pointing towards the fire exit that was sealed. "So, if you're really wanting to kill him, use something that won't come back to bite us." She added, knowing Andrea would never dare kill him with anything that could result in getting herself dirty. "If not, then get the gun out of his face so we can figure a way out of here!" 

"We're dead because of this stupid asshole." Andrea told Molly, her glare falling slightly as she took in what she had been told.

"Then pull the trigger!" Molly exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air as she shook her head. "Cause us more trouble if you want because I can tell you now, if I don't get back to my boy, I'm blaming it on the both of you." Slower than she had ever seen anyone move, Andrea lowered her gun and backed away from Rick, tears beginning to fill her eyes as she shook her head. 

"I... I don't- I don't understand." Rick spoke up, his voice slightly higher than Molly heard him speak before. "What do you mean we're all d-"

"Take a long look, Rick." Molly said, pointing over T-Dog's shoulder and towards the double glass doors. "Do you really think we're getting out of here anytime soon?" She noticed instantly the look of slight panic that had taken over his features. She sighed slightly, feeling bad once more as she brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Look... We came to the city to scavenge supplies."

"You know what the key to scavenging is?" Morales spoke up, raising a brow. "Surviving! You know the key to surviving?" He asked again, not waiting for Rick's reply. "Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it's the O.K. Corral." Rick moved forwards slightly, resting his hands on the top of a clothing rack. His eyes were blown wide as he watching the infected trying to break through the double glass doors. The snares and growls could still be heard which put the group on edge. 

"Every geek for miles around heard you popping off rounds." T-Dog mentioned, annoyance prominent on his face. "Man, you just rang the damn dinner bell!" It was when he had mentioned the dinner bell that Molly noticed just how close the group had gotten to the doors. 

She shook her head and hissed for them to come away from the doors and towards the back of the shop where it was virtually impossible for them to be seen over all the clothing racks. Molly shook her head slightly as the growls and aggressive pounding on the glass grew worse. Though she'd never have the guts to say it out loud, Rick had all but rang the dinner bell. "What were you even doing out there anyway?" 

"Trying to flag the helicopter." Rick said without a tremor of humour. Molly fought against a snort as she noticed that what he was saying wasn't a lie. 

"Helicopter?" T-Dog spat, his brows furrowed as he shook his head. "Man, that's crap. There ain't no damn helicopter!" Molly could tell by the tone of his voice that his was in disbelief. He stared at Rick as though he had gone mad. Andrea seemed to think so. 

"You must have been chasing a hallucination." She said, the tone of her voice still not friendly. "Imagining things... It happens." 

Molly left the two of them to argue over whether Rick saw a helicopter or whether he didn't. She moved towards T-Dog and Morales as she pointed towards the radio on T-Dog's hip. "Try that CB... See if you can get in contact with the others." 

It was a few moments before she got a reply. She watched him fiddle with the dials for a few moments before he shook his head, breathing deeply out of his nose. "Got no signal." He fiddled with the dial a second time before he stopped and his eyes widened. "Maybe the roof?" He said, raising a brow as Molly shrugged, not knowing what was truly best. 

It was as though the group were rehearsing for dance class as the six of them all looked up towards the ceiling when an alarming amount of shots erupted in their ears. Catching Andrea's gaze, Molly knew what the trouble was instantly... Or rather who. "What is that maniac doing?" Andrea cried out, making a beeline for the stairs, Molly a couple steps behind her. 

The shots echoed down the stairwell as the six of them climbed up it, trying their best not to twitch or jump at the noise. Andrea broke through the roof door moments before Molly did. The two woman moved across the roof top towards Merle who was stood on the roof ledge, his riffle in his hands as he grinned at them. 

"Dixon, are you crazy?" Andrea demanded, cowering at the look he sent her. Molly shook her head, almost knowing he was bound to make trouble somewhere along the line. Merle chuckled as he hopped down from the ledge, his riffle still in his grasps.

"Hey, you oughta be more polite to a man with a gun!" He told Andrea, looking over her shoulder as the rest of the group came out onto the rooftop. "Only common sense." 

"An, you're wasting bullets we ain't even got!" T-Dog shouted out, moving towards Merle as he motioned towards the riffle in the older man's grasp. Molly sighed and shook her head, T-Dog speaking to him like that was only going to make everything worse. "You're bringing more of them down here on out ass!" 

"Hey, Moll's, you 'earing this?" Merle asked, shaking his head in fake shock as he moved forwards, holding one of his arms out. "It's bad enough I got this bimbo on my ass all day," He motioned towards Andrea who scoffed. "Now I'm going to take orders from you?" He stood mere feet from T-Dog who raised a brow. "I don't think so, bro. That'll be the day."

"That'll be the day?" T-Dog spat out, pointing towards his chest as Molly shook her head once more, praying that the two would just drop it. "You got something you wanna tell me?" 

"T-Dog, just leave it!" Molly exclaimed, holding a hand over her eyes in order to see the two men in the sunlight. "Merle, I swear to god if you don't shut the f-"

"You wanna know the day?" Merle interrupted, his question being shot at T-Dog who nodded. "I'll tell ya' tha day, Mr Yo." He said, closing the distance between the two of them. "It's the day I take orders from a Nigger." In an instant, all hell broke loose.

T-Dog had made a swing for Merle, however, due to his time in the army, Merle had managed to duck and send the end of his riffle towards T-Dog's face, knocking him to the ground in seconds. Molly watched on slight disbelief, knowing she could never stop the fighting and would only end up getting herself hurt just as Rick and Morales was doing. All those drunken fights Merle had gotten himself into had given her more than enough reason to stay clear of him during his rage. If he could fight like that when he was sober, she was almost positive that he could kill someone with a clear head.

She spun around and took a seat on one of the pipes that travelled across the roof with a sigh. Molly held her head in her hands as she began to think of Rory and knew almost instantly that she had more than likely broken her promise to him. By the way things were going, there was simply no way for her to be able to make it back to him today. She briefly worried who was going to watch him for her but knew instantly that he was in safe hands with the people back at camp. 

"LET ME GO!" Molly's head shot up as she wiped at a tear that had leaked from her eye. She stared at the scene in front of her with her mouth open. She wasn't to sure how long sh had zoned out for but knew it wasn't too long. However, in that time Rick had somehow managed to handcuff Merle to the roof. 

"Look here, Merle." Rick hissed out as Molly pushed herself to her feet once more. Though she'd never state it out loud, she did still care for Merle in a way and didn't want him to be mistreated. "Things are different now. There are no Niggers any more... No dumb-as-shit inbred white trash fools either. Only dark meat and white meat. There's us and the dead." He said, loading his pistol with bullets as Molly came to a stop a few feet from the men. "We survive this by pulling together, not apart. I'll give you a moment to think about that." 

Shaking her head at Merle who glared at Ricks retreating form, Molly moved towards the wall opposite him and slid down it, crossing her legs in front of herself as Merle turned to look at her, his glare never faltering. "If you would've just listened, then maybe you wouldn't be handcuffed to the roof right now." She watched as he scoffed, shaking his own head. Something caught Molly's gaze which made her eyes squint as she leaned forward slightly. "You still take that shit?" She rhetorically asked, letting herself fall back against the wall as Merle forced a smirk. 

"Got nothin' else ta' do nowadays." He told her, crossing his legs out in front of him. The two of them continued to sit in silence, ignoring the group around them as they each thought of different things.

Molly wasn't big on closing her eyes and praying to whomever it was that was meant to listen and act on what you were asking. However, as she sat in silence, she found her eyes drifting shut as she began to think of her son and how she just hopped he would understand. She sent out a silent prayer that Rory be safe from harm. She prayed that someone back in camp would seek him out and nurture and protect him. "Wha's he like?" Merle's voice broke through her trance. Slowly, she opened her eyes as she raised a brow, tilting her head to the side slightly. "Yer' boy... Wha's he like?" 

"Kind... Funny." She mumbled, a curt chuckle leaving her at the mere thought of the many laughs he had given her. "He's extremely bright for his age... Kinda short for his age too. Though I suppose that's my fault really." Molly told him, shrugging slightly. "He enjoys the outdoors so I can't imagine he'd hate sleeping in a tent all that much. If he had his way, he probably wouldn't even use the tent." 

Merle nodded, taking in what Molly was saying. He felt like hitting himself when it came to her and her boy. Not only was he certain that she had left all those years ago due to the boy, but he couldn't wrack his mind around why she felt the need to go. Why she couldn't speak her mind like she usually had done. He couldn't deny she had changed. No longer was he met with a hot-headed woman who sought out the sweet comfort of liquor and his baby brother. Though he supposed that's what happens when you have a kid, not that he'd know of course. 

Molly saw Merle's mouth open, a question lingering on his tongue before he closed it once more at the sight of T-Dog making his way towards the two. He stood beside Molly, looking over the rooftop and down at the street in slight panic. "What's going on?" Molly asked, pushing herself to her feet and brushing her hands together.

"They're going out there, to that construction site." He mumbled out, raising a pair of binoculars as he looked of towards the site. Molly frowned at him, however, just as she was about to ask who, she noticed that Morales and Andrea came running through the door and towards them. It didn't take her long to figure out just who had gone. 

"How are they meant to get there without being lunch for the infected?" Molly hissed out, looking around the streets below as she tried to spot either Glenn or Rick. "Can't believe you three just let them go!" 

"They're covered in walker guts." Andrea said, looking as though she really wanted to throw up as soon as the five words had left her mouth. "That's what we've been doing... Helping them." Molly briefly wondered how long she had been sat in silence for before she shook her head, pointing towards two figures on the street. 

Meanwhile, back in camp, Carl and Rory had finally finished the first part of their hand-made comic. Though Rory's figure had changed more than twenty times, Carl had assured him it was perfectly fine. The two of them had moved away from the road and towards the R.V, much to Lori's happiness. She had spent the last fifteen minutes chopping fruit at the table beside them while the two boys played with an old pack of playing cards. 

"Do you have any sevens?" Carl muttered, keeping his own playing cards out of Rorys sight as he scratched at his chin. 

"Yea'!" Rory exclaimed, moving to pluck the card numbered five before Shane made a noise from behind him, shaking his head as Rory tilted his own up at him. "What?"

"That's not a seven, Bud." Rory's mouth made an 'o' as he nodded as if he knew what he had done. Shane snorted as he shared an amused look with Lori who also smile brightly. "Maybe you should play a game he'd understand a little better?" He shot the question to Carl who merely smirked. "You've won every game you've played." 

"I'm just good at it." Carl said, shrugging his shoulders as he smiled up at Shane. "I really can't help it." 

"And playing against a three-year-old who easily gets his numbers mixed up doesn't have anything to do with it." Lori told him, smiling softly at Rory who tilted his head at her, not quite understanding what she was trying to tell her son. 

" _Hello, base camp_?" A voice broke through the small moment of fun from the top of the R.V. " _Can anybody out there hear me_?" The same static transmission erupted again from the radio. " _Base_ _camp. This is T-Dog. Anybody hear me?_ " 

Dale pushed himself from the deck-chair he had set up next to the radio on top of the R.V. He moved towards it and picked up the hand-held device before he pushed the button in and opened his mouth. "Hello? Hello? Reception's bad on this end. Repeat. Repeat." 

It was a couple of moment before the voice was heard once more. Only this time it was almost too difficult to understand what was being said. " _Sh- That you?_ " 

"Is that them?" Lori called out, moving to stand next to Shane as many of the other residents around the camp also came to investigate what was going on. 

" _We're in s- deep shit_." Rory raised his eyes towards the R.V, noticing instantly that a bad word had been spoken. He tried to make out what was happening by looking around at the faces he had come to know so well. " _We're_ _trapp_ \- _Department_ _stor_ -"   

"Did he just say they're trapped?" Shane asked, not really looking for an answer as he rubbed at the back of his neck, annoyance beginning to take over his curiosity. 

" _There are geeks all ov- hundreds of th-_ " The connection went static as Dale began to fiddle with the dials franticly, trying to gain a better connection. His attempts proved to fail when T-Dog's voice was not heard again. Dropping the radio back onto the system, Dale held his arms out to the group surrounding the R.V. 

"He said the department store..." Lori muttered, trailing off slightly as she held her hands on her hips. Shane turned to look at her with a raised brow. "Shane, maybe we co-" 

"No way." He interrupted, shaking his head. "We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group. Ya'll know that." He added, making sure the rest of the group heard what he had said. 

Amy stepping forward, disbelief written over her face. "So, we're just gonna leave her there?" She asked, looking as though she was hoping Shane was lying and that he would gather a group as soon as he told her so. 

"Look, Amy... I know that this is not eas-"

"She volunteered to go!" Amy erupted, shaking her head ever so slightly. "To help the rest of us." Rory placed his playing cards on the table as he pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly as he did so. He wiped his hand together as he surveyed Amy and Shane. 

"I know she did." Shane agreed, nodding for slight effect. "They all did... They also knew the risks, right?" A raise of his brow made Amy's whole face fall. "See, if she's trapped, she's gone... So, we just have to deal with that. There's nothing we can do." 

"She's my sister, you son of a bitch." Amy hissed out, her eyes catching movement to the left of Shane. Her blue eyes widened when they landed on the small form of Rory, his head tilted as he watched her curiously. "What're you planning to tell him, huh?" She asked, pointing towards him. "Because if it's the same as what you just told me, you're an even bigger piece of shit!" 

With that said, Amy ran off, leaving Shane to think about what he had just said. Lori moved forward and smiled softly as Rory who merely looked up at her blankly. "Why don't I see if we've got any more games for you?" Wordlessly, Rory took her hand she held out and followed after her. 

Back in the city, Molly was finding it difficult to pace her heart beats. A flash shower of rain had just broken out from the sky above them, essentially washing any and all smell from Rick and Glenn. However, due to the quick thinking the pair had, they had made it over the fence and into one of the trucks. Unluckily for the rest of the group, however, they had driven off at high speed, all but leaving the five of them behind. 

"What do we do now?" Andrea exclaimed, frantically. "What do we do now!" Molly could do nothing but shake her head in disbelief as she brushed some wet strands from her face. She blocked out Merle's yells and Morales's frantic shouting as she scoffed lightly. 

" _Those roll-up doors at the front of the store, facing the street._ " Glenn's voice broke through the radio, shutting everyone up instantly. " _Meet us there and be ready_." He added, the line going dead almost as soon as he had done. 

"You heard the man, c'mon let's go!" Morales yelled, snatching his back-pack from the ground and he followed after Andrea to the door. "Let's go! Let's go!" Molly followed his lead, gripping her bag as she slung it on her back and made her way towards the door. 

"Hey, you can't leave me here!" The simple tone of Merle's voice was enough to make her stop in her tracks. "Morales, you can't do this man, Morales!" Molly knew he was already out of earshot, She spun around and made her way back towards him, noticing that T-Dog was having a mental crisis about whether he should run or help. 

"What the fuck, undo the cuffs!" She screamed at him as she made her way towards the two men. 

"Moll's!" Merle exclaimed loudly, his eyes full-blown with panic. "Moll's you can't leave me here!" 

"I'm not gonna leave you here!" She exclaimed, noticing that her yelling had broken T-Dogs trance. He spun on his heal and made his way towards Merle, the key in hand. However, Molly didn't have enough time to warn him of the fact that Dale's tools were sitting right in his path. 

She winced as her heart all but stopped beating when he tripped over it, the key that had been shinning in his hand being sent through the air. All the swear words she had wanted yell at him had come bursting out of Merle's mouth the moment the key had slipped down the drain. Knowing there was simply no time to fish the key out, Molly grabbed the small hand saw that had landed by her foot when T-Dog had sent them flying. She all but sprinted towards Merle, skidding to her knees as she gripped the cuffs tightly in her hands and began to try and saw through them. 

The saw fell from her hands in an instant when she heard the unmistakable sounds of growling growing closer. Her eyes met Merle's as the two of them stared at each other in shock, their eyes whipping towards the door just as many of the infected pressed themselves up against it. No matter how hard she tried, Molly could contain the flood of panic that seeped through her.


	10. Chapter Ten; Times Like These.

With his hands pressed tightly over his ears, Rory squinted at the road in which most of the group had gathered around to try and figure out just what was going on. Moments prior, everyone had been doing their own thing. However, unexpectedly, a loud alarm began to blare through the air, getting louder ever second that seemed to pass.

The siren engulfed him, completely capturing his brain and rendering every semi-logical thought and conclusion he mustered up. Rory could feel his heart beat every single pound within his chest. Though he tried his hardest to keep calm and block out the noise, it continued to fill his ear drums. Rory looked around desperately, what he was looking for, he wasn't entirely sure. 

It was clear to everyone where and what the noise was coming from when Dale called out that a stolen car was making its way towards camp. In seconds, Rory's eyes were filled with the unmistakeable sight of a red sports car, much like the one Carl had shown him terrible drawings of. As soon as the car came to a stop, Rory knew what it was he was looking so desperately for... His mum.

"Holy crap!" Dale exclaimed from the top of the R.V when Glenn exited the car, a grin bigger than any Rory had ever seen before. "Turn that damn thing off!" He added, raising a brow at Glenn who continued to smile. 

"I don't know how." Glenn told him, shrugging his shoulders. Rory felt Shane brush pass him and move towards Glenn, his face blank as he motioned towards the car.

"Pop the hood, please." Shane asked, looking as though he wanted to say so much more than he did. Rory watched the scene before him, his eyes moving from person to person when each one spoke. Quicker than he liked to admit, he lost his place within the conversation when Amy began to ask Glenn about her sister. He found it difficult to keep track of who was saying what. "POP THE HOOD!" 

It was almost as though a breath of fresh air was released the moment Glenn had followed Shanes instructions, allowing the older man to pull some wires that cut the siren off in seconds. "Andrea, is she okay? Why isn't she with you?" Amy asked as Rory lowered his hands and stood on his tiptoes, trying to see if Molly was inside the car.

"Yeah, fine... Everybody is." Glenn said, answering the question that had been on everyone's mind. "Well... Merle an-" He cut himself off as he motioned towards Rory, trying to make it seem as though he wasn't about to talk about him to the others while he was stood right in front of them. "Uh, little guys... Guardian... too." Rory tilted his head, trying to make out the looks of shock that were plastered over a few faces. 

"Are you crazy, driving this wailing bastard up here?" Shane demanded, shaking his head slightly. Though his tone suggested he was angry, his face was also plastered in slight remorse. "Are you trying to draw every Walker for miles?" 

"The alarm was echoing all over these hills." Dale said, causing Rory to jump slightly when the old man laid a hand on his shoulder, sending him a small smile. "Hard to pinpoint the source."  Shane made a noise of disagreement. "I'm not arguing, I'm just saying..." As though he decided to side with Shane, Dale moved his gaze to Glenn. "It wouldn't hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time, would it?"

When Rory looked back at Glenn, he noticed instantly that his smile was no longer visible. He mumbled a small sorry. "I, uh... Got a cool car." He said, a nervous smile beginning to take over his frown. Rory grinned as he clapped his hands together, causing Glenn's smile to brighten. 

Before anything else could be said, the sound of another vehicle approaching camp filled the air around them. Rory bounced on the hills of his feet, excited to see his mother after what felt like a lifetime without her. He gasped slightly and turned on his heel, running through the camp and towards the one he and Molly shared when he remembered the drawing he had spent no longer than ten minutes on. Though it wasn't much, he wanted her to know that he had thought about her. 

Stumbling through the tent and tripping on the bag Molly kept beside the door-flap, Rory rummaged through his bag he had asked Shane politely to return to his sleeping bag an hour previously. "Ma', gone love it." He mumbled, a grin on his face when he unfolded the once white paper and admired his artistic skills. Hearing a loud commotion from everyone back by the road, Rory pushed himself to his feet and stumbled out the tent. 

Tripping on gravel and numerous rocks, the three-year-old made his way back to the cars, noticing that Lori and Carl were with a man he couldn't remember ever seeing around camp. As he tried to catch his breath, Rory began to take a look around, trying to spot Molly through the small crowd of people. "Ma'?" He mumbled, twisting around in order to take a look in different directions. "Ma'?" He called out, louder.

"Rory, hey bud..." Shane spoke up from behind him, causing Rory to turn and raised a brow up at him. "Look, I..." He trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say and just how to say what he needed the boy to know. He sighed deeply, kneeling down in order to meet Rory's eyes. "Moll- Your mum... She, uh... She's not come back with the others."

Rory frowned deeply, trying to look around Shanes body as if he didn't believe a word that was being said to him. "Why she no come back?" He mumbled as he continued to look, almost convincing himself that if he continued to look, she'd just appear out of thin air. "Ma' never leaves for long."

"She didn't want to leave." Shane said, firmly. "There was just a bit of a problem in the city... She's with Merle and I'm sure they'll both be back first thing tomorrow." He said, forcing a smile onto his face. "They may even come back tonight." 

Rory said nothing as he surveyed Shane's face, noticing the smile that he was portraying was as fake as the time he pretended to be sick in order to skip going to the elderly neighbours house for tea. Once again, his heart began to beat a little faster at the thought of spending a night without his mum. Never before could he remember ever being without her at night. 

   
  *******    
 

"Disoriented." Rory heard Rick mumble. "I guess that comes closest." He wiped at his cheek as he continued to listen to the conversation being held outside Shanes tent. After an afternoon of sitting and waiting for his mother to return, Rory had all but given up on Shanes words and strolled off towards the tent. However, Shane had stopped him halfway, mentioning that it wasn't safe for him to be so far away on his own. "Fear, confusion, all those things but... Disoriented comes closest. I felt like I'd been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma dream, something I might not wake up from ever."

Though he's never admit it or say it aloud, Rory was angry that he lost his mum and Carl gained his dad. In true three-year-old way he refused to talk to the older boy as revenge. Why does Carl get two parents with him, and he can't even have one? It was unfair. Though he had been determined to stay awake until Molly returned, Rory began to nod off when he heard Shane and Ed debating over a log. In seconds, he was asleep. 

Outside the tent, Shane had retaken his seat after his small altercation with Ed. The tension in the air that had arrived when the city goers did had still not left. It lay thickly over the group, mostly due to the unspoken two that were meant to be with them. Dale looked around and sighed, he didn't want to be the one to bring it up, but he knew it had to be spoken about. "Has anyone given any thought to Daryl Dixon? He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind." 

Almost as soon as the name Daryl was spoken, Andrea, T-dog, Glenn and Morales shared looks of nervousness. Though it slipped passed a few members of the group, others weren't so luckily. "What?" Lori asked, raising a brow. "Why are you looking at each other like that?" 

"Uh... Let's just say it's not only his brother that was left behind." Glenn muttered, cowering at the glared Andrea shot him. "Or not?" 

"You mean Molly, right?" Shane spoke up, raising his own brow at Glenn who looked towards Andrea for permission to talk. "Because I think we've all got a right to know." 

"It's not our place to tell you." Andrea said, shaking her head before Glenn even had the chance to breath. "I don't even think Molly wanted us to know but Merle wouldn't let it slide once he knew." 

"Knew what?" Lori demanded, sounding like a teenager that needed to know the latest gossip. "What could possibly have been said that needs to be kept a secret?" She said, pointing towards Shane's tent. "If it's got something to do with him than surely we deserve to know... We're going to have to look after him after all."  

"It's nothing to do with him." Morales said, his accent prominent as he shook his head. "Glenn just means that there was a reason Molly stayed behind with Merl-" 

"Well, it couldn't have been from the goodness in her heart because we all know what Merle's like." Shane said, a dry laugh leaving his mouth. "I doubt she'd willing stay with a man she barely knows and is one of the most racial men I think I've ever met."

"That's the thing..." Andrea mumbled, a wince leaving her. "It might've been from the goodness of her heart because she knew Dixon. Before the outbreak and I'm talking a good few years. She knew Merle and Daryl."

"She's from Virginia." Dale spoke up, his brows furrowed. "She told me the day after she joined the camp that she wasn't born nor raised in Georgia..." 

"She also told us down at the Quarry that she left Virginia before she even hit twenty." Amy corrected, shaking her head in slight disbelief. "Molly Markle knows the Dixons? I just can't see her hanging around with men like that." Once again, Glenn, Morales, Andrea and T-Dog shared a look. Only this time, it was much better covered. 

"I dropped the key, It's on me." T-Dog spoke up, returning to the previous question. "I'll tell him." 

"But I cuffed him." Rick said, shaking his head slightly. "That makes it mine." 

"Guys," Glenn interrupted, shaking his head as he rested his elbows on his knees. "It's not a competition. "I don't mean to bring race into this, but it might sound better coming from a white guy." 

T-Dog shook his head slowly, sighing deeply as he bit the inside of his cheek. "I did what I did..." He muttered, looking towards the fire in order to keep his emotions back. "Hell if I'm gonna hide from him." 

Amy muttered something about lying which made Andrea disagree almost as soon as the words had left her sisters mouth. "We tell the truth... Merle was out of control. Something had to be done or he'd have gotten us killed. Molly had the chance to leave, but she didn't. That's not on us either..." She mumbled towards the end, sending a small smile towards Lori. "Your husband did what was necessary. 

"And that's what we tell Daryl?" Dale asked, a dry laugh leaving him as he looked around, trying to understand just what was happening. "I don't see a rational discussion to be had from that, do you?" He said, rhetorically. "Word to the wise, we're going to have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt." 

"He was calling my name..." T-Dog trailed off, shaking his head as he continued to look into the flames. "I was scared and I ran. I'm not ashamed of it." 

"We were all scared. We all ran." Andrea said, raising a brow softly. "What's your point?" 

A moment of silence filled the air as everyone's eyes turned towards T-Dog's form. As though he felt the many piercing gazes on himself, T-Dog looked up and around at everyone. "I stopped long enough to chain that door." He said, firmly. "Staircase is narrow. Maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze against it at any one time. It's not enough to break through that... Not that chain, not that padlock." Shaking his head, T-Dog looked around once more, insuring he was heard correctly. "My point is that Dixon and Markle are still alive... They're probably still up there, Dixon handcuffed on that roof. That's on us."  
 

 *******  
 

Rory ignored everyone and everyone the next morning, preferring to sit alone by the unlit fire and keep his eyes on the road. It had been the worst night's sleep he had ever been subjected to in Shanes tent, mostly due to the older man snoring for half of the night. Not only was he beyond tired, but Rory was still angry from the previous day. Those two traits mixed with a three-year-old was something bad waiting to happen. 

He had refused Shane's offer to collect water with him down at the Quarry and also refused to play a game with Carl and Sophia. To him, Rory felt as though everyone was acting as though his mother being gone wasn't an issue. Just the mere thought of her had tears pooling in his eyes once more. However, he jumped from his spot on the ground when a series of screams and shouts erupted throughout the air. 

Rory pushed himself from the ground and looked off towards the direction in which the screams were coming from. He noticed Shane, Lori and Rick take off towards the screams. Not knowing what to do, Rory followed after them, stumbling to a stop when Jacqui gripped his shoulder as he ran past. She shook her head at him. "You stay here, okay?" She asked, waiting for him to nod before she forced a smile. "I'm sure they're all okay." 

"Could be Ma'." Rory mumbled, twisting his fingers, trying to keep the emotions back as Jacqui sighed and kneeled in front of him. The screaming and shouting had stopped.

"Oh, baby... Your mum wouldn't want you running off, would she?" She asked, raising a brow softly as she smiled sadly. Rory shook his head after a few moments, agreeing with what he was being told. "She'd want you safe until she can get back and keep an eye on you herself." 

Jacqui shot to her feet when footsteps were heard behind her. She relaxed slightly as she sent Rory a final smile, moving around him and back towards the washing she had been folding. Rory noticed Daryl stomping his way through camp and towards his own, calling out for his brother. 

Gasping slightly, Rory set of after the younger Dixon in hopes that he'd be able to get some answers as to where the two's relatives were exactly. If Daryl knew Rory was following him, his little legs running in order to catch up to him, He didn't voice it. He ignored him as he called out for Merle once more. 

"Daryl, just... Slow up a bit." Shane called out from behind the two. "I need to talk to you." Rory gasped slightly when Daryl came to a stop. He rubbed at his forehead that had just smacked into Daryl's leg as he tried to balance himself. "There was... There was a problem in Atlanta."

A round of silence went throughout the camp as the residence all seemed to have their eyes on Daryl, waiting for the reaction to the news they knew was coming. Putting two and two together, Daryl realised what Shane must've been talking about. "He dead?" 

"We're not sure." Shane said softly, shaking his head. Rory took a few steps back when Daryl advanced towards Shane, his brow raised and a scowl on his face. 

"He either is or 'e ain't!" Daryl stated, his shoulders tense. 

"There's no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." Rick spoke up, making his way towards the two a look of slight regret plastered across his face.

"Who're you?" Daryl demanded, his posture stiffining slightly at the sight of an unfamiliar man. Rick gave up his name which caused Daryl to snort. "Rick Grimes, you got something you want to tell me?" He took a few choice steps towards Rick, his line of squirrels beside him. 

"Your brother was a danger to us all." Rick told him, trying to calm the situation before it got even more out of hand. "So, I handcuffed him on a roof, hooked him to a piece of metal." He shrugged slightly, wiping at his nose. "He's still there." 

"Hold on, let me process this..." Daryl trailed off, rubbing at his forehead while he paced in front of Rick. He looked over his shoulder at the people who all seemed to be watching him, growing angrier the seconds that passed. "Yer' saying ya' handcuffed my brother ta' a roof and yeh' left him there?!" 

In an instant, Rory felt himself being pulled away from the scene slightly. He looked up to see Glenn staring in shock at Rick and Daryl. However, as soon as Rory tried to turn to look, the Asian man shook his head and kept his hand placed on the boy's head, keeping his face facing the opposite way. Rory jumped slightly and the scuffle that was happening behind him. He heard something about a knife which caused him to frown and try to look once more. "You best let me go!" 

"Nah, I think it's better if I don't." Shane told Daryl, his voice slighter deeper as though he was fighting against something. "C'mon man, we can keep this up all day!" 

"I'd like to have a calm discussion on the topic, do you think we can manage that?" Rory heard another small scuffle before he felt Glenn move his hand from the top of his head. He glared up at the Asian and moved swiftly away from him, turning to face the scene one more. "What I did was not on a whim." Rick began once more; insuring Daryl was listening to the words he was speaking. "Your brother does not work and play well with others."

"It's not Ricks fault." T-Dog mustered up the courage to speak up from beside Rory. Though Rory would never know, he had moved beside the young boy as a sort of safety net in order to insure Daryl wouldn't go for him. "I had the key, I dropped it."

"What you couldn't pick it up?" Daryl demanded rather than asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.  

"I dropped it down a drain." 

Daryl laughed dryly, shaking his head as he spun around. "If it's supposed ta' make me feel better, it doesn't." 

"Well, maybe this will..." T-Dog spoke louder, moving around Rory slightly. "Look I chained the door to the roof... So, the geeks couldn't get at them." He told him, noticing the slight frown that etched its way onto Daryl's face.

"Tha' fuck yeh' mean, them?" Daryl demanded, raising a brow slightly as T-Dog looked towards Andrea who shrugged. "I'm talkin' ta' ya'!"

"Look, he wasn't alone when we left him." Rick stood in, a small nod of thanks coming from T-Dog. "A girl called, Molly was with him when we left." Daryl shook his head, not believing what he was hearing. It was one thing Merle saying she had been at camp. However, having confirmation from someone who wasn't one drugs, nor a pathological liar did something to his insides. "It's gotta count for something." 

"Yer' tellin' me, all of you, everyone of yeh' that went into the god-damn city just left the pair of them there?" Daryl all but demanded, shaking his head as he tried to keep the anger at bay. "Cause I know she wouldn't 'ave done nothin' bad enough for you sorry pricks ta' leave her there! Man, just tell me where they are, so as I can go get them." 

"I'll take you there myself." Rick told him.


	11. Chapter Eleven; Solved.

Acting on his words, Rick had taken Daryl into the city along with T-Dog and a very reluctant Glenn. The four of them had travelled back into the city a few hours after Daryl had returned from his hunt, mainly due to his anger upon discussing any idea that didn't involve leaving immediately. Though very likely to be a result of Daryl's constant anger spells, T-Dog had managed to get the truck in which Rick and Glenn had sourced out the day before into the city quicker than he ever thought possible. 

Due to Glenn's nagging about safety, T-Dog had parked the van on the train tracks that were located a mere five-minute walk from the rooftop in which Molly and Merle were located. Though Rick was unsure as to just why he had demanded the van to be left behind, he kept his mouth shut and lead the way towards a thin wired fence. 

T-Dog manoeuvred his way towards the front of the small pack, a pair of borrowed bolt cutters grasped tightly in his hands. In second, he had cut a hole big enough for the four men to fit through. "Merle and Molly first or the guns?" Rick asked, keeping his eyes ahead of him as he climbed through the opening first. 

"We ain't even having this conversation!" Daryl declared, climbing through the opening straight after Rick and sending him his best glare. "They're more important than a couple guns!" 

"Not strictly true now is it?" Rick hissed, shaking his head as though he wondered why he had even let those words leave his mouth. "You know the geography," He told Glenn, raising a brow. "It's your call." 

"Molly and Merle are closest." Glenn said, climbing through the opening after T-Dog and beginning to lead the group towards the back entrance of the store they were in just yesterday. "The guns would mean doubling back."  He added, his breathing beginning to pick up as he looked around to insure none of the infected were on to them. "Probably also help to have two more sets of hands."

Rick rolled his eyes at the look of satisfaction that had over taken Daryl's face. He kept his eyes on the back of Glenn, essentially keeping an eye on him and insuring he had his back. When the Asian came to a stop in front of the back entrance, Rick held a hand out, stopping him from entering. "Daryl and I will go and clear the ground level." He muttered, pointing towards T-Dog. "You two keep an eye out down here until it's clear." 

Feeling slightly grateful that he didn't have to kill anything that soon, Glenn nodded and waited for Daryl and Rick to enter before he spun around and kept an eye on the street. T-Dog leaned against the side of the door, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead. "What's got you thinking so damn hard?" T-dog all but demanded, knowing it was part of the reason Rick had told the two of them to stay behind and keep watch.

Glenn bit his lip slightly, knowing he was simply the worst when it came to keeping his emotions hidden and in tack. “I think we should just tell him about the boy.” Glenn said, shrugging his shoulders ever so slightly. "Daryl, I mean... I think we-"

“Don’t be ridiculous!" T-Dog interrupted, shaking his head and glaring at Glenn. "It’s not our place!” He hissed as Glenn bit his lip slightly. "Look man, there's gotta be a reason why she ain't told him already and I don’t know about you, but I doubt Dixon's going to take our word for it."

"But what if that chain didn't hold... What if something's happened to Molly?" Glenn whispered, eyeing the door as though he thought Daryl was listening through it. "Surely Rory deserves to know? Would you wan-"

"What I would or wouldn't want doesn't matter." T-Dog said, shaking his head once more. "I'm not the boys parent and neither are you. It'd be unfair on the kid to go spring something like that on him! And just in case you'd forgotten, Molly wasn't the one stuck there." 

Just as Glenn had opened his mouth to reply, Rick pushed the door open, causing the two men to jump. He motioned for them to follow him in where Daryl and himself had just cleared the lower floor. Three pools of blood had taken up refuge on the shop floor, another three bodies lying close to the sticky scarlet substance. Glenn walked slowly into the area, his eyes blown slightly wide at the blood. 

"We ain't got all damn day!" Daryl exclaimed, walking past Glenn, his crossbow re-loaded and dropped to his side as he kneeled and pulled an arrow bolt from the head of the corpse closest to Glenn. In seconds, he had disappeared from sight, calling for T-Dog to hurry up with the bolt cutters as he began to ascend the stairs. 

All four of them, whether they wanted to or not, were saying slight prayers to anyone who would listen inside their heads. However, prayers turned into heartache which in turn turned into anger. T-Dog had managed to get the lock of the chain which then left Daryl to push it open, emerging out onto the rooftop, half expecting to see his brother and Molly sat waiting for them to come back. 

"Merle!" Daryl called out, looking around the rooftop in order to try and catch his brother. "Merle?!" It was at that moment that the many emotions began to poor through each and every one of them. A series of cries rang out, coming from Daryl's mouth. However, in an instant, he had caught T-Dog's gaze, his eyes narrowed as he swung his cross bow up and pointed it at T-Dog's face. 

It seemed as though it took Rick a moment to tare his eyes away from the severed hand that, due to the size and nature, must have belonged to Merle on the ground. Once he had comprehended just what position Daryl had T-Dog pinned in, he pulled his gun from his waist holster and pushed the safety off. "I won't hesitate." He told him, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't care if every Walker in the city hears it." 

The silence that followed was almost unbearable. It hung in the air like the suspended moment before a falling glass shatters on the ground. T-Dog barely moved a muscle as he stared at Daryl whose arm began to shake ever so slightly. However, through all the pain and anger that had suddenly filled his chest, he managed to bring himself bake and lower his crossbow. It took a rick a few moments before he lowered his gun, not knowing if Daryl would raise his crossbow as soon as he lowered his gun or not. 

"You, uh... You got a do-rag or somethin'?" Daryl muttered, noticing instantly how T-Dog's brows raised slightly. He pulled one from his pocket and handed over to Daryl without breaking any sort of eye-contact. With a final nod, Daryl moved towards the severed hand and began to inspect it with a slight grimace. "Huh... I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs." He said as he opened the rag out and laid it in front of him before he lifted the hand by a finger and frowned slightly. "Ain't that a bitch..."

"To think Molly cut his hand off." Glenn muttered, trying his hardest to keep his eyes away from Daryl and the hand. "Didn't think she would have that in her." 

"She don't." Daryl said, pushing himself to his feet as he moved towards Glenn. "Nah, Molly couldn't stand a squirrel being skinned. Ain't no way she cut Merle's 'and off." He added, motioning for Glenn to turn, so he could put the hand in his backpack. As he did so, Glenn forced his face into a neutral expression as T-Dog grimaced. "He must've used a tourniquet; maybe his belt..." Moving slowly across the roof, Daryl began to inspect the ground. "Be much more blood if he didn't." 

Following the trail of blood, Daryl lead the way over and towards a door the was wide open as Rick and Glenn followed him who was closely followed by T-Dog who grabbed Dale's tools from the roof before the four of them actually forgot them.   
   
 

*******

   
    
Much to Daryl’s annoyance, the four of them were no closer to locating Merle and Molly then they had been before they left camp. Two hours had passed and the closest thing they had come across was a kitchen covered in blood and the gas cooker switched on which indicated one thing; Merle had been smart enough to cauterise the wound. 

The four of them found themselves in groups of two in the alleyways, not too far from where Rick had dropped his guns the previous day. Glenn had made a plan of action which in reality, was him doing all the work while Daryl, Rick and T-Dog keeps watch from different parts of the street.

Daryl grumbled a few curse words under his breath as he waited for Glenn to return from grabbing the gun bag. If muttering about people could kill, the three he had entered the city with would’ve been dead thousands of times already. However, just as Daryl was about to grumble something about the way Rick’s hair looked, he heard movement coming from behind him.  

In less than a second he had moved out from behind the green bin he was crouched behind and raised his crossbow up. Much to his surprise, it wasn’t a walker but rather a male who looked more like a teenager than a grown man. “Wow!” He exclaimed, his eyes wide as he jumped slightly. “Don’t hurt me!”

“Lookin’ for my brother and a woman.” Daryl spoke up, keeping the kid pinned under his gaze. “You seen ‘em?” Looking as though the fright was killing him, the boy opened his mouth and shouted something Daryl wasn’t entirely sure was English. “Shut up!” He hissed, raising his crossbow higher as the boy continued to yell in his native language. “SHUT UP! Yer’ gonna bring the geeks down on us, answer me!”

Looking to shut the boy up, Daryl took little time to thing as he dropped his crossbow and sung at him, knocking him to the ground in an instance. Everything began going south when he felt the first kick delivered to his side which was quickly followed by several more. 

However, it was Glenn who stood horrified at the end of the alley, gun bag in his hand as he watched two Mexicans beat Daryl. He froze in sheer shock as his eyes met those of one of the men. In an instant, he was moving towards him, shouting out to his friends. “That’s it! That’s the bag, Vato. Take it! Take it!” He screamed just as Glenn spun on his heal with the intention of running to Rick and T-Dog. 

He was tackled to the ground from behind just as he heard the sound of an engine making its way towards him. However, Glenn didn’t have a second to think of anything as he lost track of just what was happening. One moment he was on the ground, the next he could feel the ground vibrating beneath him as he looked to see that he was in the back of a vehicle. 

“Dejaste caer la bolsa?” Glenn heard from the front of the car as a bag was quickly placed over his head. “Malditos idiotas! Como pudiste ser tan estupida? Hombre Guillermo va a estar cabreado como mierda en nosotros...” 

Glenn tried his hardest to keep his breathing under control as he sat as still as he possibly could. Whoever had spoken must’ve said something that the others thought deeply on as the ride to wherever it was they were taking him fell silent. The only sounds that could be heard was the gravel beneath the wheels and the sound of heavy breathing. 

To him, it felt like a lifetime he was stuck in the car, squished between two men who both had more muscles than he thought necessary. However, in reality, Glenn was sure that it was less than ten minutes before the car came to a slow stop. His heart beat against his chest when he heard footsteps outside and more voices. 

“Te enviamos a recoger armas, no a otras personas!” Someone exclaimed loudly as Glenn felt himself being dragged from the car. “Guillermo! Ven a ver lo que estos idiotas tienen para ti!” Glenn felt the bag being pulled from his head as he forced his eyes to adjust to the sunlight. Looking around, he noticed that he was all but surrounded by angry Mexicans. 

“Please, I'm sorry for any inconvenience but I didn’t mean t-” Glenn cut himself off as he gulped slightly. One of the men tilted his head at him, whispering something to the man next to him who ran of inside. “Oh God...” 

“No God.” He spoke, shrugging ever so slightly as he motioned towards his men. “Just us... You lost something Asian boy?”

Glenn’s brows furrowed as he took a quick look around once more. “No... I mean yes... I mean which answer doesn’t get me killed?” He all but pleaded, noticing the man return from the doors behind the men with another, much smaller figure. “Holy...” He muttered under his breath when he recognised the face of the second person. “Molly?” 

“Oh, you’ve decided to come back then?” She asked, her face void of any emotion as she raised a brow and shook her head. “A whole fucking day you’ve been gone like how you could possibly think that was humane?” She glared at the man beside Glenn who began to pull rope from his pockets. “Back off! He's part of my group dimwit... Well, I wouldn’t really call them my group after what they did but all the same!"


	12. Chapter Twelve; So Many Feelings.

"Tell me, Glenn." Molly hissed as she dragged the Asian alongside her, not stopping for anyone. "Why the actual fuck has it taken you so long to come back? You do know I spent the night on that roof, freezing my backside off and listening to Merle's bitch ass moan about every shitty decision he's ever made, which by my books, is every fucking decision!"

"He's okay then?" Glenn found himself asking, turning to look down at Molly who raised a brow. "We went back to the roof to get you both but you weren't there… We, uh… We found Merle's hand." He noticed the wince that had left her almost instantly as she came to a stop inside the building.

Glenn took a look around at his surroundings, his eyes widening every time he looked at something else or rather, someone else. His brows lifted higher upon his face as he watched an old couple play a game of cards before he moved to see another couple eating bowls of fruit.

"Merle's gone." Molly spoke up, shrugging as though she didn't care. However, Glenn could see the sadness, annoyance and nervousness that had filtered her face. "He was a fucking dick anyway… Prick only had to do as he was told but no, the ugly bastard couldn't handle being told what to do." Glenn wasn't sure if he had ever heard someone call someone else so many names in one mouthful. He fought hard against the snort that was threatening to leave his mouth. "Rory, is he alright?"

"He's was fine when we left." Glenn told her, easing her into slight contentment. "I'm not too sure he actually realised what was going on. Shane made him sleep in his tent with him because we thought it was a bad decision to let him sleep in your tent so far from camp alone."

"Course he didn't realise what was going on, idiot." Molly snorted, shaking her head as her brows furrowed slightly. She turned to face Glenn with slightly narrowed eyes. "He's three… Anyway, who's we?"

"Oh, Rick, T-Dog, Daryl and me." Glenn told her, not noticing the way her shoulders tensed. "We volunteered to come and get you both… Didn't go as planned though. How did you end up here? Did they take you too?"

"Take?" Molly repeated, a loud laugh filling the corridor as she shook her head. "You think I'd let someone take me against my will? How weak do you think I am…" she trailed off, noticing the way his cheeks resembled cherries. "Oh… You were, uh… Anyway, I met Guillermo back at the store early this morning. Merle bailed on me as soon as he saw the car pull up… Guillermo had already seen me you see," she told him after seeing the look of confusion on his face. "Merle must've thought they were a bad lot or something… Doesn't ease the fact that he left me there though."

"I'm sorry we didn't come sooner." Glenn muttered, shaking his head with a deep sigh. "I'm sorry we even left in the first place… You're not mad are you?" Molly laughed quietly as she shook her head.

"Molly!" Guillermo called from the other end of the corridor. "La va cuesta abjo muy rapido... Come! And bring the Asian boy with you!" With her brows slightly furrowed, Molly made her way back down the hall, Glenn at her heel.

"Fuckin' Asian boy made all this shit, G!" Was the first thing Molly heard as she entered the courtyard, her eyes widening at the men that all seemed to be directing their anger at Glenn who had come to a stop beside her. "Should've chucked him from the roof, Amigo!"

"Wow, wow!" Molly exclaimed loudly as she slid in front of Glenn, her arms out in front of her. "Back off! What's going on?" She knew that if anyone wanted to attack Glenn, her body could do very little to keep him safe. "I'm sure we can work this all out without any need for throwing someone off the goddamn roof!"

"Just got word from outside patrols that the boys your Asian friend was with are close... Probably just outside the gates by now." Guillermo said, looking as though he was utterly pissed off with what was happening. Molly watched as he raised his gaze, tilting his head at the roof before he looked back to Glenn. "Take h-"

"No, wait!" Molly interrupted, shaking her head. "Just let me talk to them... Please, you've gotta let me try. You and I both know that this will only end in death if you so much as think about pushing him from that roof." She could see that she was getting to him, noticing the discomfort that had taken of his face upon hearing the roof once more. "Just let them into the courtyard and we can talk like civil people."

Guillermo gave a stiff nod, turning to face the men surrounding him as he nodded once more. "Dejalos pasar... Sin embargo, manten tus armas cargadas. Si pasa algo, mata a esas perras." Molly couldn't help but wince at the words he spoke, internally thanking her Spanish teacher for teaching her when no one else bothered.

"No se derramara sangre. Te doy mi palabra." Molly muttered to Guillermo just as three of his men made way for the small group to enter. Her breath hitched in her throat, trying her hardest to keep her gaze focused on Rick and not on the other who accompanied him. She noticed that they seemed to have a boy with them, someone she had seen in the courtyard before.

"You okay little man?" Guillermo asked as the three of them came to a stop. Molly smiled softly at Rick whose brows raised higher on his forehead at seeing her.

"The gonna cut off my feet, carna! The boy exclaimed, looking as distraught as he possibly could've gotten. Molly felt her mouth drop open slightly and had to fight hard to close it. She eyed Rick in mild suspicion, wondering why he had threatened the boy in the first place. However, as Guillermo asked if cops did that, she realised instantly who had actually implied the threat. "Not him. This redneck puta here. He cut off some dude's hand, man... He showed it to me!"

"Fucking disgusting..." Molly muttered under her breath, folding her arms across her chest as she fought hard against the gag threatening to make a move. For a second, she had forgotten that she hadn't spoken to him in years as she turned her fiery gaze to Daryl and opened her mouth. "You picked it up? Man, what the fuck is wrong with you."

She could see the slight shock at being addressed so aggressively take over his face before he wiped it clean and snorted angrily. Just as he was about to open his mouth, another voice spoke from behind them. "Hey! That's that vato right there! He shot me in the ass with an arrow!"

Molly laughed dryly out loud as she shook her head. "Oh man, this just keeps getting better and better doesn't it? I always knew you were a bloody idiot, Daryl but this beats anything you've ever done!"

"Yeh' think yer' one ta' talk?" Daryl growled under his breath, his nose flared as he made an awkward move towards her. "Walkin' round without a care in tha' world? Hangin' out with these pricks? Thought you were better than tha', Molls." He shook his head, trying to clear the anger that had filled him so suddenly. "Where's Merle?"

Molly snorted as she too, began to fill with anger. "Merle? Fuck me, I knew you must've tagged along for some stupid reason! Your pitiful excuse for a brother ditched my ass and waltzed off on his own." She told him, feeling slightly guilty that she had put it so. Just as she was about to turn around and continue trying to calm the situation, she raised a brow at him. "Oh, and before you go getting any funny idea's, it had nothing to do with me... His hand I mean."

"My people got attacked." Guillermo stated, shrugging his shoulders at Rick who looked about ready to put a bullet through his head. "Where's the compensation for their pain and suffering? More to the point... Where's my bag of guns?"

Molly noticed Rick's arm shake slightly as his brows furrowed. "Guns?"

"The bag Miguel saw in the street." Guillermo told him, face as neutral as it had been the whole time. "The bag Felipe and Jorge were going back to get. That bag of guns."

"You're mistaken." Rick softly spoke with a shake of his head.

"I don't think so." Guillermo offered up, his shoulders tensing slightly.

Rick sighed deeply. Molly had no choice but to wait for how he was going to put it. "About it being yours." He said, motioning down to his uniform. "It's my bag of guns. I brought them with me-"

"Bag was in the street." Guillermo told him, a light chuckle leaving his mouth as he continued. "Anybody could come around and say it was theirs... Besides, what's to stop my people unloading on you now and taking what's mine?"

"Hey, c'mon now!" Molly hissed, shaking her head. "We don't need this, I told you to let me talk to him." She felt the change in mood almost instantly as Guillermo's men loaded their guns. She felt it difficult to not glare at them.

"You could do that..." Rick trailed off, looking unfazed by the whole ordeal. Molly raised a brow at him following his eyes towards the top of the courtyard walls. She snorted under her breath as a chuckle arose from deep within her. "Or not."

T-Dog had a riffle loaded in his grasp and pointed at Guillermo. Though she didn't want to, she had to have a second to clap in her mind at the bravery of it all. However, the second quickly vanished when she remembered just who was inside. "Fuck this shit..." She muttered, shaking her head as she moved to stand in front of Rick. "Look, this place isn't what it seems."

"Molly! Chica tonta, shut the fuck up or I'll shut your mouth for you." A man next to Guillermo spoke up, backing down slightly as he noticed the glare he received from both Daryl and Rick.

"It's a care home." She spoke with a sigh, shaking her head as though she was disappointed in Guillermo for not telling them. "There's old people living here and these guys look after them. They need to guns to do that which is why you're going to give them half. It's more than they deserve for the way they've handled stuff..."

"You lost yer' fuckin' mind, Molls?" Daryl muttered, shaking his head as though he didn't believe what she was saying. She went to open her mouth once more, however, she broken from her thoughts when an elderly woman came from the building, calling for Guillermo.

Everything seemed to happen in a flash as she watched Rick wave out to T-Dog who lowered his weapon and made his way down to the courtyard. She watched as Rick followed after Guillermo, a look of upmost annoyance on his face.

Glenn went to follow after him, taking a look over his shoulder before he left, he sighed and leaned in to Molly. "I'm going to go keep everything calm... Or somewhat calm, you should talk to him." He nodded towards Daryl who scoffed at everything that had happened within a minute. "You don't have to tell him about... Well, tell him whatever you feel like." With a final pat to her shoulder, Glenn motioned for T-Dog to follow him, carrying the guns inside too.

For the first time in a while, Molly felt anxious. She sighed and moved to take a seat on car that had ran out of gas. She noticed the way Daryl fiddled with his crossbow as though he would rather be anywhere but where he was at that point. "Do you remember the time Merle and I got arrested?" She found herself muttering.

Daryl's head shot up as he surveyed her. He was shocked that he had even been addressed by her, let alone the tone in which she spoke. After years of being without her and learning to be alone again, Daryl scolded himself for moving closer to her. It was almost as though he couldn't help it. "Wha' of it?"

"I remember how angry you were that I'd gone with Merle knowing what he was gonna do... I remember the way you yelled at me and told me I was an idiot for thinking I could even grasp onto anything good he might've been able to do." She muttered, staring off into the distance with a sigh. "I'm not even going to apologise like i tried to back them because I know it wouldn't count for anything."

"Tha' fuck yeh' goin' on about, Molls?" He all but muttered, trying not to look at her. Though he didn't want to admit it, he knew four years had done hardly anything to her appearance. She was still the hottest woman he'd seen in his eyes.

"I... I left you and I know it was wrong of me to do so without talking to you." She said, finally bringing her gaze to his. "I want you to know that there were times when I regretted it... I felt stupid for thinking that I could ever do it on my own but you don't get how difficult it was for me to stick around knowing what I did."

Daryl knew that it was his time to ask her questions. He knew that if he wanted to know why she left that it was the time to ask her. However, he found it difficult to form the words that he had practiced over and over again for the last for years. Though he knew he didn't always show it, he had given the woman beside him his love and in return, he thought she had given him hers.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me." She told him, shaking her head as a dry laugh left her mouth. "I never would... I'm just asking you to give me a chance to explain before you decide on what you want to feel, regarding me. You have all the right in the world to shout at me right now, hit m-"

"Yeh' know I'd never lay a 'and on ya'." Daryl interrupted quietly. If there was one thing he'd never do it was hit her in any shape or form. No, that was his dad's way of doing things.

"I just... There's more to the picture than you think." She muttered to him, noticing that Rick, T-Dog and Glenn had returned with a grinning Guillermo. "It's not just the two of us anymore." Was the final thing she said as she pushed herself from the car and made her way to the men.

"It's sorted." Rick said, motioning to the gun bag that looked lighter than it had done before. "We're ready to set off." Molly was quick to follow after him after saying her goodbyes to Guillermo. She was eager to get back to Rory, wanting to see for herself that he was okay.

Though the walk back to the van was fairly silent, any small talk the men shared Molly blocked out. She was to busing thinking about how much she missed the makeshift camp to worry about anything that was being said. She walker a couple feet in front of them, following the directions Glenn shouted out ever now and then. However after ten minutes of walking, she came to a stop with a blank look.

"Thought you said here?" She asked, turning to face Glenn who stopped in shock. The small patch of grass where he had left the van was clear. The ground had tire marks on as though someone had made speedy escape.

"Oh my god…" Glenn trailed off, finding it difficult to grasp just how serious the issue had become. "We left it right there, I swear! Who would take it?"

Molly groaned as she let out a whine of annoyance. In that moment, she knew what it was like to be Rory when he had one of his tantrums. "Idiots… who'd you think took it? Merle!"

"He's gonna be takin' some vengeance back ta' camp…" Daryl trailed off as he fought hard to close his mouth. "Suns startin' to set. Best get a move on."

Molly sighed deeply as she nodded, agreeing with what he had to say. The last thing she wanted was to be stuck in the city another night. She also didn't want to be walking through the night either.

Together, the four of them took off in a jog. Preferring not to walk due to the fact that if Merle had taken the van, the people back at camp were most likely unaware and unsafe from his wrath. Those she was by no means unfit, Molly couldn't help but feel as though the van being taken could've been prevented. After the night she had been forced to live through, the last thing she wanted was to have to jog all the way back to camp.

At least the other three had gotten a somewhat decent sleep the night before. Every time she tried to close her eyes, Merle would pipe up and annoy the everlasting fuck out of her. However, Molly knew she was just picking for a fight and she also knew that the camp wasn't even that far away. Which was one of the reasons she had kept her mouth shut.

Molly grumbled a few choice words under her breath which must've been at least the seventh time she had done so. Her heart beat rapidly against her chest as she held the gun Rick had given her loosely in her dominant left hand.

It happened just as she was about to ask Glenn if he wouldn't mind helping her out with her tent when they got back. A loud rumble of screams and gunshots filled the air around her as she turned from side to side, trying to pinpoint just where they noise was coming from.

It took her longer than she liked to admit to realise just where it was actually coming from. Here wide eyes met that of Daryl's as the two of them took of after the other three for camp.

To say her eyes were wide was an understatement. As she broke through the trees and got a good look at everyone and everything, she began to breath deeply that the sight.

The dead were everywhere. Molly began to feel the sickness rising within her as she noticed bodies belonging to residents of the camp littering the ground, most dead. The screams and gunshots never once died down as she surveyed the area for one little boy in particular.

"Molly, duck!" Daryl shouted out as he met her eyes across the fire pit. Instantly, she ducked, feeling one of his arrows fly through the air above her head. A moment later, she heard a sickening thud and twisted around to see one of the dead on the ground. "Keep yer' fuckin' head on, Molls!"

Though in reality, the dead fell quickly once the group had returned with the guns. To Molly it felt like a lifetime as she continued to look around, ever second that passed seemed to knock more and more fear into her. Rory was nowhere to be seen. She looked up as she saw Carl running to Rick, tears running down his face.

However, against all the fear she was feeling, Molly felt anger build inside her as she noticed Lori making her way to her family. She waited a few moments, wondering if she had kept her word and looked after her son. Moments past with no sign of him. "You!" She exclaimed loudly, not caring that everyone who had survived seemed to look at her. "You stupid fic- Where's my boy?" She demanded, noticing instantly how Loris eyes grew and she looked around.

"Molly, I swear he was right here." She told her, motioning to her side as she looked back at Shane who began to look through the small pack of people for the boy. "He was eating with u-"

"I ASKED YOU TO DO ONE THING!" Molly screamed, trying to throw herself around Rick at her. However, she didn't have the chance to when Rick grappled her waist and pushed her back slightly. "CAN YOU EVEN DO ONE SIMPLE THING? WHERE THE FUCK IS MY BOY?"

"Molly, calm down!" Rick demanded, his hands shaking as he looked around. "We'll find him! If you calm down we can look, I'm sure he's here somewher-"

"Easy for you to say when your boys right there!" Molly hissed, spinning on her heal and searching frantically for the little boy. "Rory? Rory! Baby I promise it's okay to come out!"

Though she noticed that a few of the others began to help her search, calling out his name as they searched through tents, she didn't pay them any attention. Her heart felt as though it'd been ripped from her chest.

"Please, Rory!" Molly tried to shout out, her voice cracking as she brushed her hair from her face. "Mummy's not mad, I just want to know that you're okay!"

"Molls…" Daryl muttered, choosing to ignore the fact that she had referred to herself as a mother. He motioned towards a set of footprints he had uncovered, small enough to be that of the young boys. "He set off tha' way." He told her, pointing in the direction she had walked in so many times.

"The car…" she trailed off, a sudden spark of hope lighted within her as she took off running towards her makeshift camp. She heard a few sets of feet behind her but didn't bother to look. As she neared her camp, she noticed that the tent had been trampled on but the car seemed to be untouched.

Saying a silent prayer to whoever was willing to listen, she loved around the car and pulled the door open. Instantly, a son left her mouth as she finally let the tears full down her face. A grin was plastered across her face as she reached out and pulled the toddler into her arms, holding him close as the two of them cried.

"I'm here, it's okay." She mumbled into his hair, turning around to meet the gaze of the three who had followed. Though Shane and T-Dog had also followed, her eyes seemed to glue to Daryl's who stood with a blank expression as he took in the view before him.

____________

I was so excited to get this chapter out! I haven't edited it yet so there may be mistakes as I had a power cut and had to finish the end of this on my phone... Tragic... Alexa, play Despacito.

I'll be sure to get the Spanish translation up soon though! Not to sure how soon because o issues with the power cut. I may even forget... Oops..

Anyway, don't forget to leave a review! I love reading what you like about this book! I'll update when I can but it's difficult to find the motivation when I receive messages saying one word and it's 'update." Usually I get them as soon as I put out a chapter as well -.-

Thank you you for the love! Hope you enjoy!


	13. Chapter Thirteen; Revelations.

From the moment she had found him until the moment the sun began to rise, Molly sat on a log beside the fire, Rory in her lap as she stared into the orange and red flames while he slept against her. Though the fear of losing Rory was far from gone, she no longer felt as though he was in any immediate danger. She had all but refused to share Glenn’s tent, preferring to stay out in the open where she could see what was going on around her. Molly knew for a fact that she wasn’t the only one to stay up all night, having seen shadows through some of the tents.

As the sun moved higher into the sky, the sounds she had been hearing all night began to wash away against the noise of some of the men taking care of the dead. Once or twice, Molly had to look away from watching them after catching Daryl’s eye. She was almost to embarrassed to admit what he probably already knew and though she knew it was stupid of her to prolong the torture, she continued to do so.

Rory arose from his slumber around noon, yawning quietly and looking around the area, his head still resting against Molly’s chest. She brushed a hand through his hair, her gaze falling on Lori who was making her way out of her own tent. Though she tried not to, Molly couldn't help the glare that fell onto her face at the sight of the older woman.

Her anger towards Lori had not diminished through the night. If anything, she felt more hostility towards her for thinking that it was okay to forget that she was meant to be watching her son. Sure, there were other people around that could’ve helped. However, Molly had fault against her inner demons and put her trust into Lori, only to have it snatched away and trampled on.

“Ma...” Molly forced her gaze from Lori as she looked down at Rory who had moved to look up at her. She raised a brow, smiling softly as he returned the smile before his brows furrowed. “When we goin’ home? I don’t like it ‘ere no more...”

Sighing deeply, Molly twisted slightly, freeing one of her legs as she looked around the camp. “I know what happened last night was scary... I’m sorry I wasn’t here to look after you.” She began, trying to think of a way to put what she was trying to say into words. “Look, it’s not safe out in the city and if I'm being honest, it’s probably not safe here. Home is just too far from us at the moment to go alone... I thought you liked the people here? If we left you wouldn’t be able to see them.”

“They coulda’ come with us!” Rory exclaimed, his brows furrowed as though he wondered why it wasn’t an option. “None of them people can come thou’ ‘cause they tried ta’ eatten us...” Molly faught hard against a snort.

“I’m going to go and see if anyone needs some help... I’ll take you to the R.V and I want you to stay inside, okay?” Molly asked, nudging his shoulder as she stood up and carried him towards the R.V. “It’s going to get a little messy out here so I don’t want you looking out the windows... Draw me another picture.”

Almost as soon as she had mentioned drawing, Rory began to grin as he wiggled from her grasp and moved up the steps of the R.V. himself. Molly sent a smile to Carl and Sophia who were playing a game of cards. She received two in return before she spun around and made her way towards Glenn.

“Oh, Molly... Hey.” Glenn greeted her, looking down at a dead walker and tilting his head. ”I know this is probably bad of me... Do you recognise him?” He asked, motioning towards the face. “I think I do but I can’t place him...”

“That’s Joe.” Molly told him, sighing deeply as she shook her head and looked away. “He had that funny mustard colour tent with the beads hanging down the door flap.” Almost as soon as she had mentioned the beads, Glenn made a noise of recognition. “Do you want some help getting him on?”   
Glenn’s eyes widened when she motioned towards the fire. Instantly, he began to shake his head. “No, our people are going to be buried... The fire is for the dead ones.” Not having the heart to inform him that they were all the dead ones now, Molly nodded as she looked towards the next body.

Before she even had chance to take a look, her eyes looked up to see Morales and Daryl moving towards them. She froze and looked away just as quickly as she had looked their way. From what she had seen, she could still see the way Daryl’s bows were pinched together, as though he had spent the morning running his brain round and round.

She avoided his gaze as the two men bent down to pick Joe’s corpse up, dragging him along the floor towards the fire. Instantly, Glenn began to protest, trying to stop them moving any further. “Wow, what are you guys doing?” He asked, not receiving an answer. “This is for geeks. Our people go over there.”

“What’s the difference?” Daryl grunted, lowering the corpse to the floor and turning to face Glenn. “They’re all infected.”

“Our people go in that row over there.” Glenn stubbornly told him, pointing towards the row he was talking about. “We don’t burn them!” Molly jumped as she moved away from Glenn slightly, his voice had been louder than she expected and found it difficult to understand just why he was so bothered. “We bury them.”

After a few moments of staring, Morales and Daryl finally moved to grab the corpse and drag it off towards the row instead. Noticing the way Daryl’s lips twitched, she knew he was about to speak his mind. “Ya’ reap what yeh’ sow.”

“You know what?” Morales spoke up as soon as Molly rolled her eyes. “Shut up, man.”

“Y’all left ma’ brother for dead!” Daryl shouted out, insuring his voice was heard. “Yeh’ had this comin’!” With that final thought added, Molly watched as he stomped off towards his own little camp. She shared a look with Glenn and sighed deeply as she groaned against her own judgment.

Giving Glenn a small smile, she spun around and followed after the hot-headed man she had been meaning to talk to since she had found out he was even in the camp. She noticed just how far he had set up his camp, snoring at the fact she had all but done the same thing.

Molly knew that Daryl knew she was following him. There was no way a man with his hunting abilities didn’t. She was waiting for him to turn around and tell her to piss off, waiting for the moment he glared at her. However, it never came. He got to his camp and dropped onto the log ruffly, scoffing as he did so.

Without a second thought, Molly dropped herself to the ground a few feet in front of him, much more gracefully than he had done. Crossing her legs and folding her hands together, she waited for him to cool down a little, watching as his shoulders lost their tension and his scowl fell short.

Once he had done so, he looked up through his lashes at her, raising a soft brow as she shrugged slightly. “This is as good a time as any to talk... Figured you can ask all the questions your dying to ask and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability.”

Molly knew he was about to ask her to leave but something caught his eye over her shoulder. Molly turned and sighed as she smiled, watching T-Dog help Rory out of the R.V and towards the water system they had built. Turning back to face Daryl, her eyes widened slightly to see that he was already looking at her.   
  
"Since when did yeh’ get a kid?" Daryl muttered, eyeing the little boy who stumbled over his own two feet on his way back towards the R.V.

  
"Since I gave birth to him." Molly snorted, shaking her head as she forced her face to remain free from any humour. She didn’t want Daryl to think this was a game. After all, it was her son's life she was about to mess with. “His name is Rory and he’s three years old.”

“When was he born?” Daryl muttered, his brows beginning to tighten as he narrowed his eyes at Molly.

“July tenth.” She told him, watching the dials in his head begin to turn as his eyes shot over her shoulder and back to her a few times. “He was three weeks premature but he’s happy and healthy as any other boy his age... A little short but I think he gets that from me.”

Daryl knew the next question he was to ask would put everything into perspective for him. He needed to hear it from her own mouth rather than the speculation he had. “His dad around?”

Finding it difficult to believe that one man could be so narrow minded, Molly laughed dryly as rubbed at her face. "Think Daryl!" Molly exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air as she narrowed her eyes at him. "I know for a fact you're not stupid! I mean sure, you look fucking stupid! Didn't take Merle nearly as long as this..."

“I know wha’ yer’ tryina’ say...” Daryl muttered with a sigh as he too began to rub his head. “Fuckin’ kid is mine, ain’t he?”

“Rory.” Molly breathed under her breath before she sighed and nodded. “He’s yours.”

The silence that followed was almost unbearable on both sides. Molly knew the time was long overdue for Daryl to know the real reason she had left and Daryl finally began to piece together why she had up and left him with barely a note. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out why he hadn’t thought of the possibility of her being pregnant. Yeah, sure she had been acting weird the few days before she had left, but he would never have guessed she was pregnant.

“Well, wha’ tha’ fuck Molls!” Daryl exclaimed loudly, his eyes narrowed as he motioned towards the R.V. “Yeh’ ran off to ‘ave a kid, my kid, and yeh’ don’t even bother ta’ tell me? Man, the kid must think I hate him or some shit!”

“Rory!” Molly exclaimed for the second time as she shook her head. “He doesn’t hate you because he doesn’t know who you are. I haven't told him that you’re his dad... When I found out you were here I thought of telling him but it would have only confused him if I told him and you didn't want shit to do with him.”

“Kid-Rory,” Daryl corrected upon the angry look Molly sent his way. “He’s mine an’ yeh’ left ‘cause yeh’ thought I wouldn’t want ‘em?” He found himself asking, not sure if he really wanted to know the answer.

“No... I left because I thought it was the right decision.” Molly told him, honestly. ”I thought I was giving him a better life... A life that wasn’t filled with alcohol, arrests and the shit Merle got up to. I mean, when I first found out I thought of telling you but I didn’t want you to have to choose between us and Merle. Merle would’ve hated a screaming baby living with him and I didn’t want to put that on you both.”

“So yeh’ left an’ did it all on ya’ own?” Daryl rhetorically asked, scoffing slightly and feeling as though he just wanted to hit himself hard. “How was tha’ helping anyone?”

Molly shrugged, picking at the dirt on her trousers as she sighed and pushed herself to her feet. “You’re welcome to talk to him if you like... I think it’s best I tell him who you are to him and you can build whatever sort of relationship you’d like with him... Even if you’re not feeling it now, just talk to him and you’ll realise how unintimidating he actually is.”

“Already ‘ave.” Daryl found himself telling her, reaching into the bag beside him and pulling out a folded piece of paper he found himself keeping for some unknown reason. “Gave me this when yeh’ were off doin’ somethin’... Spoke ta’ him twice actually...”

Molly smiled softly, nodding as though she realised what he was trying to say. “I’ll tell him who you are and you can approach him whenever you like... It doesn’t have to be today or anytime soon. Just know that he’s the least judgmental and the most kindest person I've ever met... He’s got a lot of love in his heart to give out. Do not fucking trample on it.” With that said, she took a deep breath and took off for the R.V.

 

***

  
“Do I ‘ave to call ‘em Daryl?” Rory asked, kicking his feet back and forth as he looked up at his mother. “’cause, you call ‘em Daryl but he’s my daddy.” He informed her as she continued to fold there clothes up and place it beside him in the crate on the bed of the truck.

“Why don’t we start with Daryl for now.” She said, nodding as though it was the right choice to make. “He’s knew to all this, same as you. That’s not his fault though so don’t be asking him why he wasn’t here.”

“Okay.” Rory muttered, leaned against the truck bed with a smile on his face upon seeing the birds in the sky. “Is he gone come live with us?”

Molly found herself laughing slightly as she shook her head. “No, Bud... We’re not going back home any time soon so it’d be difficult for that to happen.”

“Should I drawled him another picture?” Rory asked as his brows furrowed and he looked almost as though he was trying to negotiate a business deal.

Molly fought hard against the chuckle that threatened to come out as she shrugged, closing the lid and picking him up. “You can draw one while we’re in the truck if you’d like to… I think he’d really like another one of your drawings… He still has the first one you have him.”

“Doesn’t he need to ask why we never talken to him?” He muttered as Molly opened the passenger door and placed him in his seat. “We’s shoulda’ said sorry for not inviting him for cookies on Sundays.” He muttered, watching his mother buckle his seat belt.

“You have nothing to say sorry for.” She found herself whispering. “Mummy is the one who has to say sorry for thinking it was okay to not tell him that you needed him.” She added, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

 


	14. Chapter Fourteen; Incline

_**{Wow, I'm so sorry for how long it's been since I updated this book. I swear It didn't feel nearly as long. I've been working on my other book a lot which is probably the reasoning behind it. Enjoy!}**_  
  
Staring out the window and continuing to bite her lip, Molly sighed for what must have been the seventh time within the span of ten minutes. She tapped her fingers against the table in the R.V while she did so, trying to force herself to relax as she turned to face Glenn who sat opposite her. He smiled softly at her, knowing that she was feeling anxious at the circumstances she had subjected herself to.  

“They’re both probably fine.” Glenn offered up, shrugging as he grinned slightly. “I mean, the truck is still moving smoothly behind us… There’s no reason why you should be as worried as you-”  

“I’m not worried.” Molly lied, turning to look out the window once more. Though she knew Daryl was perfectly capable of looking after Rory, she knew just how much her son liked to talk. She also knew just how much Daryl didn’t like to talk to people he didn’t know.  

The whole ordeal could’ve been avoided, had she brought the parts her truck needed when she was meant to. Now she was stuck in the R.V, her truck being left behind at the quarry while Rory was in Daryl’s truck with him. Molly hit herself for thinking that it was a good idea to ask Daryl if he wanted to take Rory. However, she couldn’t help but feel as though she had chosen the right path.  

Rory sighed under his breath contently as he watched the trees through his window. It had not escaped his attention that Daryl kept fiddling with anything he could beside him as he kept catching glimpses of him from the corner of his eye. “Ma’ says I should call you Daryl.”  

Daryl jumped slightly in his seat at the voice that had erupted. He raised a brow as he looked towards Rory for moment, trying to figure out if he had actually spoken or not. “Did she?” He found himself muttering.  

“Ya’ she says tha’ I shouldn’t call ya’ daddy because you mighten not like it.” He added, not feeling as though he should word his sentences better. Being too young to understand, Rory didn’t realise just how anti-social Daryl was. “She used ta’ tell me stories ‘bout you.”  

Daryl’s head whipped towards the young boy who leaned against the open window to smell the air. “Yer’ ma?” He asked quickly, watching the boy nod. “Anyway… Wha’ do yeh’ like ta’ do?” He muttered, feeling as though he should at least try to get to know his kid. 

Daryl eyed the boy from the corner of his eye. When he had first found out that he had a son, he had been in slight denial over his parentage. However, the longer he took in the features Rory so proudly inherited, the quicker he was beginning to realise that he was in fact, a dad.  

There was no denying the three-year-old with his messy mop of brown hair and his facial features that Daryl could remember seeing in the mirror when he was a child. Though he wasn’t surprised to find out that he had his mother’s crystal grey eyes; A feature he had fallen in love with rather quickly when the two had first began to see each other.   

“Drawin! An’ I like ta’ eat cookies and play in tha’ garden by tha’ trees!” Rory told him, his eyes lighting up as he turned to face Daryl. “Wha’ do you like ta’ do, Daddy?” He added, simply not bothering to follow his mothers advice and call the man Daryl. As far as Rory was concerned, he finally had himself a dad. One of his own like all his friends in play-group had. 

Daryl looked back to the road as he frowned, trying to work out the feeling that had suddenly erupted inside him. “Hunt… Get piss-Er… Drink a lot... Nothin’ exciting like you thou’.” Rory nodded to himself, frowning due to not really knowing what it was Daryl enjoyed. He twisted in his seat, looking out the window as he tried to locate his mother, frowning when he couldn’t see her through the Glass. “Yer alrigh’... Yer ma’s jus’ up ahead.” Daryl found himself telling the boy. 

“I-I...” Rory stuttered slightly, not exactly sure what it was he was doing. “Ma’s meanta’ be in our truck but now it’s gone.” He finally admitted, his small hand coming up to scratch at his nose. “Is you and my Ma' gone get married?" He asked, his moment of sadness being swept away at the prospect of living with both his parents.

Choking on the breath of air he had breathed in, Daryl fault hard to regain power over his own breathing as he stared straight ahead with wide eyes. If he was to be completely honest with the kid, the answer would be no. Even before Molly had left he had no intentions of marrying her. To him, marriage was just an excuse to spend too much money and allow people to watch you while you 'tied the knot' with your significant other. Daryl felt like snorting as he remembered Molly telling him that a piece of paper and two rings meant nothing. 

"No." Daryl answered, honestly. Eyeing the boy to make sure he didn't burst out crying at the simple fact. However, rather than cry, Rory frowned as he nodded his head slowly. He watched as the boy twisted in his seat, eyeing the back of the truck with in awe as he looked in the mirror to see what it was Rory was looking at. "Ya' like bikes?" He mumbled, noticing that the only thing he could possibly be looking at was Merle's bike. Rory simply shrugged his shoulders, containing to stare at the two wheeled contraption in awe. Daryl allowed him to do so, finding nothing wrong with his curiosity as he continued to follow after the others.

Daryl swore loudly as he threw his arm out to stop Rory from flying out his seat when he pressed his foot on the brakes, hard. His head shot to the left as he looked down at Rory who looked slightly shaken but unharmed. When he was convinced that no harm had come to the boy, Daryl looked back up as he narrowed his eyes at the R.V that was now producing puff's of smoke. 

Without a word, Daryl grumbled under his breath as he motioned for Rory to stay in his seat while he opened the drivers side and excited the car, shutting the door behind him. 

Molly shared a look with Glenn as the pair listened to Dale moan and yell about how unreliable his R.V was becoming. Risking a glance back at the bedroom in which Jim was currently dying in, Molly shook her head and moved to exit the R.V needing to get away from the yells of pain. 

"I told you we'd never get far on that hose." Molly heard Dale say as she moved around to the front of the R.V and eyed the contraption in which he had opened, trying not to breath in the smoke. Rick leaned in to take a closer look, his face falling blank at the sight. "I said I needed the one from the cube van." 

"Can you jury-rig it?" Rick asked, putting his hat back on his head in order to block the glare from the sun meeting his eyes. 

Dale chuckled a little. "That's all it's been so far." He admitted, his head tilting slightly. "It's more duct tape than hose... And I'm out of duct tape." Molly chewed on her lip, taking a few step forwards and getting a good look at the engine.

"Have you... Er, try using a belt." She finally spoke up, stopping the two men from bickering as the pair turned to face her with furrowed brows. "The tape is great and all but it's easily melted from the heat. If you tie a belt around the pipe there-" She motioned towards the pipe. "-And secure it in place tightly, it should last a lot longer than the tape... It wont last forever though." She admitted." Though the next few moments were silent, Molly tried to keep any anxiousness from her face as she eyed the two men who seemed to be trying to calculate her out. In the end, it was Dale who broke the sudden silence. "You know how to fix vehicle's?"

"Not necessarily." She admitted, shrugging slightly as she cleared her throat. "My dad used to sell used cars when I was a kid on the weekends. Some of them were a little unreliab- Well, most of them were actually unreliable… Anyway, he used to let me help out sometimes."

"Worth a try." Rick told Dale who nodded. The old man was quick to get to work, pulling his own belt from his jeans and moving to grab his tools from the R.V. 

Before Molly even had a chance to figure out what she wanted to do while they waited for Dale to finish, Jacqui came dashing out from the R.V her eyes wide and looking more frantic than Molly could ever remember someone being.

"Ya'll It's Jim." She was quick to inform the group. "It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore." Molly sighed, knowing from the pained yell's that it was unlikely Jim was going to be able to hold on for much longer.

She excused herself from the small group that had began to grow as she ignored Shane announcing that he was going to drive down to the gas station he could see and made her way back towards Daryl's truck. She smiled softly and waved at Rory who waved back from his spot in the truck. 

As she made her way towards the passenger door, Molly felt a tinge of guilt fill her at the fact that she simply didn't want to have to deal with Jim while he was in so much pain. She felt bad for the guy and knew that he wouldn't want to be crowded while he was dealing with his issues and decided that one less person around the bed wouldn't hurt anyone. 

Molly reached out and pulled the door open, leaning against the truck as she looked in. "How're you doing, mate?" She asked softly, eyeing the boy closely incase he decided to try and lie to her.

"Good." He admitted. Moving so that he was on his knee's and looking out the front window. "What's goin' on, Ma?" He asked, bouncing on his knee's slightly as Molly sighed. 

"Jim's not feeling to good so they're gonna see if there's anything they could do to help him out." She told him, honestly. If there was one thing Molly had learnt since being a mother, it was that she didn't feel comfortable lying to her son. It was a trait she had most likely inherited from her father who saw fit to teach Molly the meaning of life the moment she even learnt how to talk. "I can't be to sure what they're doing though." 

Rory nodded as he turned to look up at Molly, turning to point behind him. "Daddy got a bike!" He whispered in awe as Molly stiffened slightly. She forced a smile onto her face to hide the surprise at how blissfully unaware her son was of the fact that he had just referred to Daryl as his dad. "It's real big, huh?" 

"I don't think that's Daryl's, Baby." Molly told him, recognising the bike the moment she set her eye's on it. "It's Merle's... His brother." She added upon seeing the boy's brows furrow. "He's not with us at the moment but he's somewhere out there right now." Molly jumped when she noticed movement on the other side of the car. She froze as he head shot up, only to let out a deep sigh as she noticed Daryl looking at her. "What's going on?"

"He want's ta' be left 'ere." Daryl muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as he eyed Rory through the drivers window, trying not to be to loud and possibly upset the boy. "Said he can't take the journey no longer." Molly sighed as she nodded, looking up when she heard a pained yell to see Rick and Glenn all but dragging Jim off the R.V. "Hey." She quickly spoke, kneeling down to look into Rory's eyes. "Don't you worry about a thing, okay?" She whispered, her hand holding his forearms gently as she insured he was looking at her rather that the scene taking place outside.

A look of pure terror filled Rory's face as his arms shot up to his mother who was quick to push herself to her feet, picking him up in an instant. Molly allowed him the comfort of wrapping his arms around her neck tightly as she eyed Daryl who was in turn, eyeing her back. "He alrigh'?" Daryl found himself muttering, not knowing exactly what was expected of him.

"He'll be fine." Molly told him gently, thankful that he was at least trying to be helpful to her. "Hey, I thought you liked Bike's, huh?" She muttered to Rory who was quick to lift his head and take a look at the bike in the bed of Daryl's truck in all it's glory. Molly took a few steps towards it. "Big ain't it?"

"Real big." Rory spoke in awe, his hand moving to touch the structure. Molly looked back over to Daryl who hadn't took his eyes of the boy. Seeing the questioning look she shot him, he simply nodded as Molly moved forward and allowed Rory to touch the bike. He grinned madly at it, his eyes shooting over to Daryl. "You riden on it?"

"Mhm." Daryl nodded slowly, chewing on his inner lip in order to hide the small smile that wanted to take refuge on his face. It was in that moment that Daryl realised that having a son wasn't so bad. He was thankful that Molly had raised him to be humble and not bratty like Carl seemed to act.   
 

 *******  
 

The sun had begun to set in the sky quicker than anyone expected that day. The air seemed to be thicker and full of emotion the moment the small gathering of vehicles moved on from where the R.V had broke down; Leaving Jim behind. Though the bright side of the spectrum was that Dale had managed to get the R.V working again with the help Molly had given him and T-Dog and Shane had found a bunch of food in the gas station they had checked out.

However, the fact that they had lost five people that day, four of which had left on there own accord to find family didn't settle well with a few members of the group that remain. Though Molly knew it was only a matter of time before all was forgiven and Jim was just a happy memory that came to an unfortunate ending.

Molly sighed deeply as she forced a wave of anxiety back, eyeing the large structure out the window of the R.V. They had rolled to a stop outside the CDC and though she tried to feel optimistic about the whole thing, Molly wasn't so certain coming this far into the city this late at night was such a good idea.

However, when she noticed that she was the only one left in the R.V, she was quick to push herself to her feet and move towards the door, hoping onto the pavement and almost instantly turning towards Daryl's truck.

Her brows furrowed as she allowed her eyes to trail down to the ground, her breath hitching at all the bodies littering the streets. She swore under her breath, wishing that a boy of Rory's age didn't have to see the sight before them. Molly looked back up, making a move towards Daryl as she stared at him wide-eyed and come to a sudden holt.

Though she knew deep down that Daryl would make a wonderful father to Rory, she hadn't expected him to take to it so quickly. She watched the pair closely, her eyes seeming to fill with a few tears at the sight before her.

It seemed as though Daryl was with Molly on the fact that he didn't feel as thought Rory should see the carnage that was the streets surrounding the CDC as he had Rory in one arm, his crossbow in his other as he walked towards Molly, wanting to pass the boy off in order to help keep the group safe with the use of both hands.

Rory, who was doing as he was told and keeping his eyes closed, had rested his head on Daryl's shoulder, listening to his surroundings as he did so. "Thank you." Molly whispered emotionally as she reached out and took her son, her hand coming up to the back of his head as she smiled at Daryl who nodded.

"Watch ya' step, Molls." He muttered as he motioned for her to follow after the group while he brought up the rear. The group moved through the bodies and the sand bags in as much silence as they could muster. Though Carl and Sophia let out quiet cries ever so often, Molly was thankful that for the most part, it was silent.

"Do you think this is such a good idea?" Molly whispered back to Daryl, her eyes taking in everything the surrounding area had to offer and though she didn't want to be the one to say it, she had a bad feeling that the CDC was uninhabited. "I don't like this..."

"Me neither." Daryl finally admitted, his voice quiet and hard to catch.

"All right everybody... Keep moving." Shane whispered out, ushering everyone past and insuring no one was in any danger. "Go on... Stay quiet, let's go." The closer they walked to the CDC, the harder it was to breath in fresh air as the smell of corpses filled their noses and mouths.

"This is bad..." Molly found herself muttering to herself, coming to a stop behind the group as she watched Shane and Rick fiddle with the closed metal shutters. "Don't do that!" She hissed out when Rick banged loudly on them, the noise filling the air and echoing. 

"There's nobody here." T-Dog pointed out the obvious, barely containing a cough.

"Then why are the shutters down?" Rick demanded, raising a brow at the man who held his hands up slightly.

"Walkers!" Daryl's booming voice made Molly jump as she spun around and stared at the corpse that was slowly making its way towards them. She felt Rory stiffen in her arms as she tried to calm him, ignoring the cries of the two kids. "You led us into a graveyard!"

"He made a call!" Dale defended Rick, ignoring the way Daryl's anger seemed to grow. 

"It was tha' wrong damn cal-"

"Shut up!" Shane demanded, advancing on Daryl as Molly scowled at the man. "Shut up, you hear m-"

"Back the fuck off!" Molly snapped, looking up at Shane as she slid between the two men. "He's just stating the obvious!" She added, watching as Shane growled and spun around, moving back towards Rick.

"Rick, this is a dead end." He told the man who was hell bent on communicating with the intercom. "Do you hear me? No blame. We've gotta go, we can't be here, this close to the city after dark is a death wish, Rick... Fort Benning is still an opti-"

"On what?" Molly demanded, finally angered at the fact that she was putting her son in danger because of the men in front of her. "No food, no fuel. That's like what, one-hundred miles?"

"One-hundred twenty five, I checked the map." Glenn corrected her as Molly shook her head, trying to decided in that moment what was best for Rory. She turned to look at the only person she actually trusted, despite the fact that she had left him years ago.

Daryl was already looking at her and grumbled a few choice words about Rick before he reached and motioned for Molly to move back to the truck. "C'mon, we're gettin' outta' here." He told her as she nodded, thankful that she didn't have to be the one to make the decision she wanted to take. 

A small commotion broke out behind them as a few others began making there ways back to the vehicles while Rick began screaming and shouting. Molly eyed the street nervously as she tried to keep a good grip on Rory in order to keep the boy out of harms way.

Before anything else could happen, a loud noise erupted from behind her as she came to a stop and spun around in an instant. The shutters seemed to open as a bright light filled the area surrounding the door. and though she didn't want to think about it, Molly had an incline that it wouldn't be the last time she had to apologise for being wrong to Rick Grimes.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

The elevator seemed to creak and groan in complaint as it slowly began it's decent. Though by sight it looked brand knew, the sounds it made gave Molly an incline that it hadn't been used for some time. It hummed continuously as every person who occupied the elevator seemed to be focusing on something or someone. Molly cleared her throat quietly, turning to smile at Rory who was on her hip, looking around in slight awe. 

“Doctors always go aroun' packing hear like tha'?" Daryl's voice filled the air, a hint of occusment in his voice as Molly turned to look at him before her eyes darted to the man who had introduced himself as Dr. Edwin Jenner. 

The man in question had been the one to open the doors. He had also been the first person the group had met once everyone had been ushered into the building, a few of the men going back out to retrieve the bags. Jenner hadn't greeted the group, more concerned with if any of them were infected before he had declared that the only way he would allow them entry was if each and every one of them succumbed to a blood test. 

"There were plenty left lying around." Jenner explained, sending a quick look over his shoulder at Daryl. "I familiarized myself." There was a moment of silence as Jenner turned to look over the group, his brows furrowing slightly. "But you look harmless enough... Except you." He added, smiling softly at Carl whose eyes widened ever so slightly. "I'll have to keep my eye on you." 

Carl's face was instantly taken over by a smile as he looked up at his parent's, watching the pair of them smile back at him for a moment. It fell quiet once more as the lift grinded to a halt, Jenner moving out into the hallway almost as soon as the doors slid open. 

Without a second's thought, the group filled out after him and began to follow him down the white hallway. Molly allowed the group to move out before her as she lowered Rory to the ground. "No running off, alright?" She muttered quietly as he nodded, reaching up to grip her hand as he looked around in wonder.

"Are we underground?" Carol's voice filled the air from in front of the pair as Molly looked up, not voicing her humour on the fact that it was obvious they were underground, considering they had just spend a good few minutes going down in the elevator. 

“Are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked. 

Carol didn't reply straight away, looking worriedly round the hall as she gripped Sophia's hand tightly. "A little..." 

“Try not to think about it." Jenner disregarded Carol, continuing down the hallway and through a set of double doors that were pushed open which leaded into another large room. "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." 

Molly entered the large open room just as Jenner had finished speaking. She looked around with furrowed brows, trying to figure out just who Vi was. However, before her eyes landed on anyone else, the room seemed to hum, quickly followed by beeping sounds as every light slickered on. 

Her brow's shot up rather than furrowed at the sight before them. A bunch of white, tall desks sat in co-ordinated spaces in the room, all vacant with not a single person, apart from them, in sight. 

"Welcome to Zone 5." Said Jenner, making his way down the ramp and towards the cluster of desks. 

Molly looked around the group for a moment, her eye's meeting Shanes who merely raised a brow at the lack of people. "Where is everybody?" Rick voiced the question that seemed to be on everyone's mind. "The other Doctors, the staff?" 

Jenner released a dry chuckle, turning to raise a brow. "You're looking at it." He said as Rick and Shane followed the man down the ramp, the others deciding to stay back a little. "I'm it. It's just me here." 

Lori shuffled on her feet from beside Molly before she called out, "What about the person you were speaking with? Vi?" 

Molly let go of Rory's hand when she felt him pulling away slightly, being sure to keep her eye on the boy as Jenner smiled sadly for a moment. "Vi," He called out loudly, the group looking on curiously. "Say hello to our guests. Tell them, welcome." 

The air around them was silent for barely two seconds when a seemingly recorded voice sounded throughout, " _Hello guests. Welcome._ " 

"I'm all that's left... I'm sorry." Jenner apologised as the group fell silent once more. 

Molly wasn't entirely sure why she didn't feel disappointed like everyone else seemed to look. Perhaps it was due to the reason that she had already prepared herself for the worse and the mere fact that Jenner was still here was somewhat of a shock for her. She had been all but sure that the CDC was down along with every single other place the country seemingly had to offer.   
 

  
  
 *******  
  
 

  
Molly winced as she moved to stand beside Daryl once more, holding the small cotton bud to her arm as her eyes fell on Rory who was sat beside Daryl's legs with his colouring book out. "This isn't going to go so well, just a warning." Molly mumbled as she kneeled down to her son and smiled softly. "Hey... Listen, bud... The nice Doctor needs to take some of your blood so that he can look at it under a special device." She told him quietly, ignoring everyone around her as Rory looked up at her, his brows furrowed. "I promise it doesn't hurt, it's just a small scratch." 

"I dun't want him to have none of my blood." Rory told her, lowering his colouring pencil to the ground as he gave Molly his undivided attention. "He's got his own. Mine don't need takin' cause I is not sick." He was quick to tell her, adamant on winning. 

Molly chewed on her inner cheek for a moment, sighing as she brushed a few strands of hair from her face. "I've just had mine taken and Daryl had his done first." She added, watching as Rory looked up at the man in question as if to ask if he actually did. Daryl merely nodded at the boy, looking around to make sure the other's were occupied before he rested his crossbow against the wall and kneeled down. 

"Ya' like motorbikes, righ'?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper as Rory nodded excitedly. "Yeh'? Well, ta' be able to ride one, ya' 'ave to let the doctor take ya' blood." He told him, feeling stupid for lying to the boy and knew that if he had his own way, he wouldn't have let the doctor poke him with needle's either. "Ya' dun't 'ave ta' look. It'll be over before ya' really know it's 'appened." 

Rory considered what Daryl had said for a moment, looking behind him at Jenner who was taking Carl's blood before he turned back to his parent's looking between them while he fiddled with his jacket. "Will you's come with me?" He whispered out, shocking Molly slightly as she saw him looking at Daryl who turned to Molly, his own eyes portraying the shock he was feeling while his face remained semi-blank. 

Molly nodded, sending him a smile as she tried to keep the feeling's at bay. She was by no means upset, if anything, she was ecstatic that the pair were getting on. "Alrigh'." Daryl muttered, pushing himself to his feet and holding his hand out to help Rory up. Molly covered her mouth with her hand as she allowed the smile to take refugee on her face, watching the two Dixon's. Daryl ignored the looks as he cleared his throat and took a sat upon Jenner's instructions and helped Rory up to sit on his lap. 

Just as Daryl had said, the test's took little to no time at all and in record time, Rory was running over, his small shoes slapping against the ground as he held his arm out, showing of the colourful plaster he now wore over the tiny incision.

Once everyone's blood had been taken, Jenner made a motion for the group to follow after him a he set off down a set of doors to the left of the room. Molly allowed the group to walk before her as she followed after, Rory beside her as he took in the corridor in slight interest. "Why did he need our blood, Ma'?”

Molly eyed the top of her sons head for a moment, wondering herself why he needed their blood when it was obvious that none of them had been infected. "That's a very good question... I think the Doctor wants to do some tests which involves our blood."

Rory made a noise as he nodded, reaching up to grab Molly's hand. "Mine gonna ride now 'cause daddy says so." He told her, trying to look around the group in search of Daryl. "Ma' we needs juice."

"I'm sure we'll get something to drink soon, bud." Molly told him as she entered the room after the others to find it full of kitchen supplies. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity as she realised that the large room she had entered was in fact, a kitchen. "Scavengers." She mumbled under her breath when she noticed most of the group raiding the fridge and cupboards. 

Hearing a snort to her right, Molly turned to raise an eyebrow at Daryl who was leaning against the wall, crossbow slung of his shoulder still. "Heard that." He muttered, his eyes moving to take in Rory's form who was looking back up at him with a smile.

Being much more graceful and politer than the rest of the group, Molly grabbed herself and Rory something to eat and drink before she took a seat at the end of the large table, preferring not to mingle with the others and rather, enjoy the company of her son.

"Ma', can yous cut this for me?" Rory broke Molly from her daze as he pushed his plate out and crossed his legs on the wooden chair he was sitting on. 

Molly smiled down at her son as she slid the plate in front of her and picked up her cutlery. The chatter in the room began to pick up as everyone seemed to lose any tensions they once had. Thanking Dale when he set a glass of wine down in front of her, Molly slid the plate of cut up food back to Rory who was quick to dig in.

Molly eyed her own plate as she pulled it towards her and began to cut half the food up on the plate. She turned slightly as she lifted the plate up and went to push half the contents onto her sons plate. However, before she had a chance to do so, she froze as she noticed Daryl standing behind Rory's chair and pushing half his own food onto the boys plate. "Eat." He muttered quietly, nodding towards her plate.

"You know..." Dale spoke up over the chatter, pouring out some wine in a small glass. "In Italy," He added, pushing the glass towards Lori and Carl. "Children have a little bit of wine with dinner... Oh, and in France!”

Molly watched as Lori was quick to laugh and shake her head, her hand going over the glass just as Carl was eagerly about to pick it up. "Well, when Carl is in Italy or France, he can have some then." Molly shook her head slightly, wondering how it was that everyone seemed to just forget about the world above them. 

“What's it gonna hurt?" Rick chuckled slightly, the question being directed at Lori who seemed to falter slightly. "Come on." He eagerly tried to persuade the women. 

Molly shook her head slightly as she blew out a breath of air. She turned to look down at Rory who was drinking orange juice from a plastic cup as he bounced slightly in his seat. She smiled softly, looking up when a round of thanks was given to Jenner who looked as though he'd rather be anywhere else at that point in time.

"So," Shane spoke up, swirling the contents of his glass around. "When are you gonna tell us what happened here, Doc? All the other Doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?"

”We're celebrating, Shane." Rick hissed out, his face hard as he sent his friend a look. "Don't need to do this now."

"Wow, wow, wait a second... This is why we're here , right?" Shane let a small laugh fall from his lips before he continued on once more. "This was your move, supposed to find all the answers. Instead... We found him, one mad. Why?"

Though she didn't want to draw attention to herself, Molly couldn't help but agree with Shane. They had travelled to the C.D.C for a reason and it certainly wasn't to celebrate. "He does have a point." She spoke up, not once taking her eyes away from Rory and ignoring the obvious looks she was getting.

"Well..." Jenner began after a few moments, trying to put his words into sentences. "When things god bad, a lot of people just left and went off to be with their families... And when things got worse, when the military Cordon got overrun, the rest bolted." He breathed slightly, looking off into space as if picturing a scene. "Many couldn't face walking out the door They..." He eyed Rory and Carl for a moment before he continued. "Opted out. There was a rash of suicides… That was a bad time."

"You didn't leave." Andrew stated the obvious. "Why?"

"I just kept working." He answered. "Hoping to do some sort of good."


	16. Chapter Sixteen; Influence.

_**{FYI, we're making Daryl younger in this. Say, 32ish}**_  
  
“Most of the facilities are powered down.” Jenner explained as he lead the group down a narrow corridor where half a dozen doors could be seen on each side. “So you’ll have to make do with here.” He added, motioning towards the doors. 

The small journey through the building had come no longer after everyone had finished eating. It had been Lori who had brought up the subject of sleeping arrangements which seemed to have stirred Jenner from his solemn state. 

Molly, who was all to happy to get away from the large crowd, followed behind the group, Rory snugly on her hip as she listened to what the doctor was saying up front. 

“The couches are comfortable. There are a few cots in storage if you want to use them.” He came to a stop as he spun to face the group. “There’s a REC room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just-“ he kneeled to address Carl and Sophia who were in front of him. “-don’t plug in the video games, or anything that draws power...” he told them before he stood up. “Same applies. If you shower, go easy on the hot water.” With that, he turned and walked off. 

The hallway fell silent for a moment, each and every member of the group processing Jenner’s words differently. Glenn was the first to speak, turning with a look of awe on his face. “Hot water?” 

“That’s what the man said.” T-Dog grinned, the pair laughing out loud. 

Molly stood on the spot as she watched the group thin out rapidly. She eyed them all as each person slid through a specific door, essentially claiming the room for themselves. 

She stumbled for a moment, beginning to move forward before stopping herself, only to go and move forward once more before she stopped herself again. Molly chewed on her inner cheek, spinning around and moving quickly towards the lone door on the end. 

Sliding through, she closed the door behind her and slid the lock in place before she let out a breath of fresh air. “We gone go sleep now?” Rory mumbled, his head on her shoulder as he tried to keep his eyes open. 

“Why don’t we get you a quick shower first?” She found herself asking him, not knowing if there would be any hot water in the morning. “Then I’ll have one after you’re asleep, yeah?” Rory yawned as he nodded, agreeing with his mother. 

An hour seemed to fly past quickly and in that time Molly had managed to shower Rory, get him to sleep and have a shower of her own. Her spirits were higher than they had been that morning which was something she haven’t been expecting. 

Molly had slid into a pair of joggers and a loose fitting shirt as she read a book on the floor with her back against the only couch in which Rory was sleeping peacefully on. 

She sighed deeply and let the paperback fall to the ground beside her, looking around for something that could cure her boredom. When she found nothing of use, Molly turned to eye her son who was still sleeping soundly. She pushed herself to her feet and wrapped the blanket tighter around his form before she moved across the room unlocked the door, sliding herself out of it as quietly as possible. 

Mostly due to her curiosity, Molly found herself outside the REC room. The open doorway allowed her to see inside the room and figure out just from an overview that it was not that place she wanted to spend any of her time. She smiled politely at the four occupants. “Evening.” 

“How’re you doing, Molly?” Carol asked, smiling kindly as she brushed out Sophia’s hair while her daughter played a board game with Carl. 

“I’m good, thanks.” She told the older women, sending Lori a smile when she waved over the top of a book she was reading the back of. 

“Molly, can I ask you something?” Lori called out, making Molly internally groan. Molly could tell instantly that Lori was on the side lines of being drunk and knew that the question would probably irk her. 

Carol seemed to think so to as she stood up. “Come on, Sophia. Time for bed.”

”You to, baby.” Lori told Carl, motioning for her son to follow the pair. “Go and say your prayers. I’ll be there in a minute.” 

Smiling as the trio walked past her. Molly folded her arms across her chest and moved slowly into the room, eyeing the books and keeping her gaze off Lori. 

“We’re friends right?” Lori asked, her speech ever so slightly slurred. “I never knew that Rory’s dad was in the group all this time.” She spoke before Molly could even think of an answer. “Seems like no one else did eith-“

”I’m gonna stop you there because I don’t want to make things difficult between us.” Molly interrupted, trying to keep her voice causal. “I’ve known you for like a month. Probably less. If the world didn’t go to shit, I can guarantee you wouldn’t look twice at someone like me while you’re in your big house with a white picket fence. We are not friends. Not at this point in time. I’m sorry if that offends you in any way but I don’t want you thinking you have a right to anything that goes on in my sons life. Cause it’s just that, he’s my son and not yours. Worry about who your sons gonna be calling dad cause this thing you got going on with Shane and Rick, it ain’t pretty.”

With that said, Molly spin around and made a beeline out the door, catching Lori’s shocked expression on her way out. She breathed a sigh as she wiped a hand down the side of her face, already beginning to hate herself for what she had said to the women. Though none of it was untrue, Molly knew she could have addressed it much better. 

Forcing one foot in front of the other, Molly walked down the narrow corridor once more and out into the area in which the group had spent a good two hours eating and drinking. She eyed a bottle of alcohol for a moment, chewing on her inner cheek before she thought better and moved to grasp the jug of juice instead.

“Firs’ time I seen you avoid tha’ good stuff.” An ever so slightly slurred voice made her jump and spin around, her eyes narrowing as they fell on Daryl’s form who was slumped in a nearby chair.

“Don’t need it.” She mumbled, turning to pour herself a glass of juice before she turned to eye Daryl. “Why’re you sat out here when you could be in one of them rooms?”

Daryl took a moment to drink from the glass bottle in his hand. “Alla’ them are taken. Ain’t sharing.” He added after a seconds thought.

“So, you’ve decided to take up residence out here? Surely there’s somewhere a little more private you could stash yourself...” Daryl merely shrugged, rolling his head from side to side as he tried to release the tension in his neck. “Right... Er, if you want you could stay with me... Get a shower and what not. Rory has the couch so you’ll have to make do with the floor or go fetch one of them cots if there’s even any left.”

With that said, Molly was quick to dash away, trying to make it look like she didn’t want the ground to swallow her up after making a stumbling fool of herself. She slid back into the room and left the door unlocked before taking her seat in the bundles of blankets on the floor in front of the couch.

Though in reality it must've been seconds till Molly heard the doorknob jiggling, it felt like a lifetime. She was quick to throw herself towards her discarded book and open it onto a random page before she brought it up to her face, beginning to read what was written on the page as she heard Daryl slid into the room and shut the door behind him. 

"Just... Try to keep the noise to a minimum." Molly finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper as she lowered the book the look over at Daryl who nodded before he moved off towards the bathroom. 

Molly released a deep breath that she didn't know she had been holding in as she pushed her legs out in front of her and crossed them at the ankle. She could hear Rory's soft breathing coming from his sleeping form in her left ear and allowed all the tension to seep out of her as she listened.

The bathroom door being opened stirred Molly from her thoughts as she wiped at her eyes and sat up straight, brushing her hair from her face and sending Daryl a curt smile. The man in question gave Molly a curt nod as he used the towel to dry his hair while he closed the bathroom door with his foot. The air seemed so brittle that it could've snapped, and if it didn't, Molly might. The pair didn't speak. What is there to say? 

Though Molly didn't say anything, she took the time to survey Daryl and take in all his features once more. However, much to her surprise, rather than looking at Daryl as Daryl, Molly found herself looking at Daryl as the father of her child. She picked out all the features she knew Rory had inherited from him and found herself smiling slightly. "You don't have to stand there all night long." She told him, her voice a murmur.

Daryl himself chewed on his inner cheek before he moved towards the brunette and lowered himself to the floor, placing the towel beside him as he crossed his ankles together and folded his arms across his chest. "Might be a lil' tipsy." He murmured, rolling his shoulders slightly as he sighed a small sigh.

Though he'd probably never say it aloud, he was glad that he had someone from his old life that he could let his guard down with. He could guarantee that he'd never willingly share a room with anyone else if they'd offered and knew for a fact he wouldn't feel zero tension in his body like he did when he was in Molly company. Daryl sighed slightly as he reminded himself once more that she hadn't been around the whole time. She had left four years ago to have his kid.

"What're you thinking so hard about?" Molly whispered, the back of her head resting on Rory's thigh. "Can hear your brain going ten times an hour from over here and you don't sigh all to quietly."

"Why did ya' leave?" He found himself asking. "I know why ya' left I jus'..." He trailed off, not knowing exactly what it was he wanted to say. "I coulda' taken care of us. Yeh' know I coulda'." He told her, trying to wrap his head around and answer she could possibly give him. "Baby too." He added.

It was Molly's turn to sigh as she lifted her head, tilting it to face the man beside her. "I have no doubts that you could have looked after us, Daryl. You're a good man, too good for me. I'm not trying to make you hate yourself or anything but you and I both know that it would never be you, me and any children cause Merle would always be there cause he's your brother. He... He brings out the worst in people. I didn't realise how fucked up I was till I got out." She spoke words that she had been planning for years. "Before I met Merle, I'd never been arrested in my life. I'm not saying he's fully to blame cause I should've taken action of my own but he was part of it. When I found out I was pregnant I tried to think off a way to make it work...  I tried for you, Daryl."

Daryl's head turned almost instantly as he eyed Molly, taking in her features and trying to figure out if she was being honest when she said that. Her sterling grey eyes bore into his as if trying to convince him she was not lying. However, deep down Daryl knew before he had even looked at her that she was telling the truth. Molly had always been so honest and telling.

"You know my dad used to say the I played the clown to cover up all my doubts and I never really knew what he meant until I finally grew up. You see I made it my mission to make people laugh, to make sure everyone around me was happy and I never once stopped to see if I was happy. I was happy with you, Daryl, but I wasn't happy with Merle." She finally admitted. "I'll forever hate myself for taking your son away from you but I can't help wanting to put our son first."

"Yeh' don't have to say anythin' else." Daryl finally spoke up, clearing his throat as he eyed the small body asleep on the couch behind them. "I got him now don't I?" Molly was quick to nod. "Then it don't matter. I'm not stupid. Merle woulda' been a bad influence, I get it. Yeh' did good raisin' him."

"Thank you." Molly spoke, smiling through a wave off tears that hit her. She tried to push them back as Daryl sent her a smile of his own. "That means a lot."


End file.
